New Delhi, March 17 Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday criticized opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha for creating a "false narrative" that the Railways was no longer serving the poor, and asserted that 70 per cent of all rail coaches are general coaches.
Vaishnaw also said that Amrut Bharat trains are providing efficient, modern, and safe travel to passengers at very low fares.
He said that while opposition members questioned the Vande Bharat trains, they have been demanding that these trains be run in their constituencies.
Referring to rail safety, he said that rail accidents have been reduced by 90 per cent, and asserted that significant investment has been made to ensure safe train travel.
Vaishnaw was responding to a debate on demands for grants for the Railway Ministry. The House later approved demands for grants for the ministry for 2026-27.
Opposition's cut motions were rejected by voice vote.
Vaishnaw also used the opportunity to target governments in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, claiming that they were either not providing land or not clearing projects for the railways.
West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala will go to polls next month.
Vaishnaw claimed that an earlier technology to prevent rail collisions was found to be ineffective, but the then railway minister Mamata Banerjee implemented it.
He said that the new Kavach technology is not only a device but a complex system, similar to installing a telecom network.
Vaishnaw said that the latest version of Kavach technology is being implemented and meets international standards. He also noted that work on bullet trains is progressing smoothly.
On the issue of jobs, he said that five lakh jobs have been created in the railways, and nearly two lakh more are being provided.
Responding to the debate, he also said that the Railways has saved ₹6,000 crore by switching from diesel to electric energy to run trains.
He said that the national transporter has become the second largest cargo carrier in the world.
Vaishnaw said that during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, 35,000 km of railway track has been laid, and 27,000 km has been electrified.
He said that staff cost is the biggest expenditure of the Railways, followed by energy cost.
He noted that in the coming years, diesel locomotives will gradually be phased out, making way for electric locomotives.
Vaishnaw said that since the Modi government came to power in 2014, there has been a shift from politics of vote to politics of performance.
He said that in a visionary decision, Prime Minister Modi had decided to merge the railway budget with the general budget, which has led to an increase in financial allocation for his ministry.
Now, new trains are being inaugurated and new projects are being launched throughout the year, which was not the case earlier. The financial health of the Railways has improved, and so has transparency in publishing accounts, he said.
Vaishnaw noted that the Finance Ministry and other agencies keep a close watch on the financial health using IT systems.
As many as 210 MPs participated in the debate, which lasted for two days.