On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit DFC’s Operation Control Centre in Ahmedabad to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for a series of railway projects valued at over Rs 85,000 crore.
According to an official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the PM will initiate the foundation stone-laying ceremony for various railway facilities, including Railway Workshops, Loco Sheds, Pit lines/Coaching Depots, the Phaltan-Baramati New line, and the Electric Traction System upgradation work. Additionally, he will dedicate two new sections of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) – the New Khurja to Sahnewal (401 Rkm) section of Eastern DFC and the New Makarpura to New Gholvad section (244 Rkm) of Western DFC, including the Western DFC’s Operation Control Center (OCC) in Ahmedabad.
Prime Minister Modi is also slated to flag off ten new Vande Bharat trains connecting various routes such as Ahmedabad-Mumbai Central, Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam, Mysuru-Dr MGR Central (Chennai), Patna-Lucknow, New Jalpaiguri-Patna, Puri-Visakhapatnam, Lucknow-Dehradun, Kalaburagi-Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru, Ranchi-Varanasi, and Khajuraho-Delhi (Nizamuddin). Additionally, he will extend four Vande Bharat trains, introducing new passenger trains between Asansol and Hatia and Tirupati and Kollam stations.
The PM will also inaugurate the operation of freight trains on the Dedicated Freight Corridor from various locations, enhancing the efficiency of goods transportation. Furthermore, he will dedicate 50 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras at Railway Stations, offering affordable and quality generic medicines to the public.
Additionally, Prime Minister Modi will dedicate 51 Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals, facilitating the smooth movement of goods across different modes of transportation. He will also inaugurate 1045 Rkm of Automatic Signaling in 80 sections to improve safety and operational efficiency in train operations.
The Nation’s Digital Controlling of Railway stations at 2646 stations will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, enhancing operational efficiency and safety. Moreover, he will dedicate 35 Rail Coach Restaurants aimed at serving the needs of passengers and the public while generating non-fare revenue for railways.
The PM will also dedicate over 1,500 One Station One Product Stalls, promoting local products and supporting local artisans and businesses. Additionally, he will inaugurate solar-powered stations/buildings at 975 locations, aligning with the country’s renewable energy goals and reducing the carbon footprint of the Railways.
The Prime Minister is also expected to launch various other projects, including newly electrified sections, doubling/multi-tracking of tracks, and the development of railway goods sheds, workshops, loco sheds, and pit lines/coaching depots. These initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to building a modern and robust railway network, fostering improved connectivity, economic growth, and the creation of new employment opportunities, as highlighted in the PMO release.
