Rs 7.5K crore allocated for railway projects in K’taka: Ashwini Vaishnaw

BENGALURU: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the Union Budget has allocated Rs 7,561 crore for railway projects in Karnataka, the highest ever so far.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, he said that between 2009 and 2014, the Centre used to allocate Rs 850 crore every year and the BJP government has increased it by nine times. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi expects a lot of change in all sectors, including public transport. Efforts are being made to improve the Railways and stations are being remodelled. In Karnataka, 55 stations will be developed”, he said.

Stating that the design of the Sir M Visvesvaraya terminal is a model for the entire country, he said plans are afoot to implement the same elsewhere too. In the next one-and-half-years, importance will be given to serving local food on trains and all old coaches will be changed.

Further, he said that there is a plan to have a One Metro with the common mobility card and the Modi government is also thinking about connecting two major cities which are 100 km apart through the Metro. Testing of India’s first hydrogen train will commence in December this year, he added.

Hydrogen-powered trains use hydrogen fuel cells which convert hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, which is then used to power the train’s motors.