MUMBAI: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Friday announced that the central government has allocated Rs 1.73 lakh crore for railway infrastructure development in Maharashtra, covering key projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, dedicated freight corridors, and the redevelopment of 130 railway stations, Vaishnaw said the Indian Railways is undergoing a major transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, and Maharashtra will be a significant beneficiary of this nationwide push.Speaking at a pres conference in Mumbai, the Railway Minister said that this year’s central allocation marks a significant boost for Maharashtra’s rail infrastructure, with Rs 1.73 lakh crore set aside for key projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, the redevelopment of 130 stations including CST, and expansion of the railway network across the state.Vaishnaw said over Rs 23,000 crore has been allocated this year for railway infrastructure projects in Maharashtra — a significant increase compared to allocations during the previous Congress-led UPA government. “When the INDI alliance, then called the UPA, was in power, only Rs 1,171 crore was allocated to Maharashtra. But now, Prime Minister Modi has given at least 20 times more than that,” he said.As part of the plan, the Centre will undertake the doubling of the 240-km Gondia–Ballarshah railway line at a cost of Rs 4,890 crore. A new line from Jalgaon to Jalna, aimed at improving connectivity to the Ajanta Caves region, is planned with a budget of Rs 7,100 crore. The Manmad–Indore railway line has been allocated Rs 18,000 crore, while Rs 3,500 crore will go towards the expansion of the Bhusawal–Khandwa section.For Mumbai, Rs 17,000 crore has been set aside for suburban railway upgrades and related infrastructure. This includes the introduction of 238 new air-conditioned local trains, the minister said.Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was also present at the press meet, described the Gondia–Ballarshah railway line as a vital link connecting Chhattisgarh and Telangana. He said Gondia, located near the border of both states, stands to benefit significantly from the project, which he termed strategically important for boosting the regional economy.Fadnavis also said that the Mumbai One Card will be launched soon. The integrated card will allow seamless travel across multiple modes of public transport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including suburban trains, metro rail, monorail, and BEST buses.
Source link
