India's Remarkable Railway Transformation: 35,000 km New Tracks and Modern Train Fleet Under PM Modi's Vision

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized on Wednesday the tremendous advancement in India's railway modernization under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, with remarkable progress evident from the past 11 years.

During his address at the International Railway Equipment Exhibition (IREE) in New Delhi, Vaishnaw revealed that India has constructed 35,000 kilometers of new railway tracks and completed electrification of 46,000 kilometers of tracks within this 11-year timeframe.

"Friends, in the last 11 years, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put strong focus on railways modernisation and the results are visible," stated Vaishnaw during the exhibition.

"Today, we have 35,000 kilometres of tracks built in the last 11 years, 46,000 kilometres of railway tracks electrified in the last 11 years, phenomenal number, 40,000 new coaches manufactured," he continued.

The minister further noted that approximately 40,000 new coaches have been produced during this period, demonstrating India's expanding capabilities in railway infrastructure and technology development.

Describing these achievements as "phenomenal," Vaishnaw highlighted that the transformation of Indian Railways reflects the government's strategic long-term vision for creating a modern, sustainable, and passenger-centric transportation system.

Speaking about India's inaugural bullet train project, the minister reported that construction is progressing rapidly, with 325 kilometers already completed.

"I recently visited Surat and Mora stations, which will be part of the first section to open in 2027," he added.

Vaishnaw also provided updates on India's growing fleet of modern train services, noting that the country currently operates 156 Vande Bharat services, 30 Amrit Bharat services, and 4 Namo Bharat services, all of which have gained significant popularity among passengers.

During his presentation, the minister praised the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for organizing the IREE and expressed appreciation for the participation of equipment manufacturers and railway organizations.

However, Vaishnaw challenged CII to think more ambitiously and envision a truly global-scale railway exhibition that would surpass Germany's InnoTrans.

"India deserves a much bigger railway conference and exhibition. I request DG CII to rethink the entire concept and include every aspect of railway transportation -- from technology and design to software and high-speed networks," he concluded.