Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for railway development projects worth ₹1,472 crore at Sabarmati Railway Station in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on September 27.
He flagged off the country’s first LNG-powered train and also inaugurated a WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed costing ₹700 crore.
The primary focus of these projects is to enhance railway safety, promote eco-friendly rail transport, increase freight capacity, and provide better amenities to passengers. Amit Shah stated that the ‘Kavach’ train protection system has been implemented on the Sabarmati-Kalol rail section at a cost of ₹48 crore.
Meanwhile, work on implementing ‘Kavach’ has also commenced on the Ahmedabad-Palanpur and Ahmedabad-Samakhiali rail sections. Additionally, work has begun on the project to double the Sabarmati-Sarkhej railway line.
Shah highlighted the deployment of the 12,000-horsepower WAG-12 locomotive, saying it can carry as much freight as nearly 600 trucks in a single operation. He also said the LNG-powered train will help reduce emissions and support cleaner and more environmentally friendly railway operations.
The Home Minister stated that the modernization of the railways has accelerated in recent years. He cited increased electrification, domestic locomotive manufacturing, and improvements in freight infrastructure as key reasons for this.
He noted that India has now electrified 99.6% of its railway network, having completed 7,188 kilometers of electrification in 2023-24.
Shah also mentioned the reduction in diesel consumption by the railways, which fell from 293 crore liters in 2015-16 to 108 crore liters in 2024-25. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other dignitaries were present at the event.
(PIB)
