Goyal highlights Govt's infra milestone: '18,065 km railway line electrified in 2014-20'

In a startling revelation, Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal stated on Sunday that India witnessed a "quantum jump" of 371% in the electrification of railway lines during the six years of Narendra Modi government from 2014 to 2020. According to the railway minister, as much as 18,065 km of the railway line was electrified under the leadership of PM Modi.

Taking to Twitter, Goyal posted a few infographics which also showed the comparison between the work done by the previous UPA government vis-a-vis the current government. As per the infographics, 2,150 km of railway lines were electrified during the first term of the Manmohan Singh government i.e. from 2004 to 2009. In the second term, 3,038 km were electrified from 2009 to 2014. Whereas the first term of Modi government saw the electrification of 13,687 km. It also said that the government is planning to electrify 28,143 km railway track between 2019 and 2024, of which 5,642 km has already been commissioned till October 2020. The electrification of rail routes is pertinent to reduce dependency on diesel locomotives, in turn, reducing the pollution.

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Kulhad, not plastic cups in railway stations

Also in yet another development, Goyal said on Sunday that going forward, tea will be sold in environment-friendly earthen cups 'kulhads' instead of plastic cups at all the railway stations across the country. The minister was speaking at an event organised at the Dhigawara railway station in Rajasthan's Alwar district to mark the inauguration of the newly electrified Dhigawara-Bandikui section under the North Western Railway.

This initiative will be the contribution of the Railways towards a plastic-free India, Goyal said.

"Tea is given in 'kulhad' at nearly 400 railway stations in the country today, and in future, it is our planning that tea will be sold only in kulhads at all railway stations in the country. This will be the contribution of Railways towards plastic-free India," he said.

Kulhads save the environment and lakhs of people can get employment from it, Goyal added.

(With PTI inputs)

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