Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors were now 100% complete and referred to the proposed East-West Dedicated Freight Corridor announced in the Union Budget
Vaishnaw also said the Railways was operating 350 special trains this year for the festival rush and could increase the number to 370 if required. Speaking about Mumbai’s suburban network, Vaishnaw said projects worth around Rs 18,000 crore were currently underway to augment capacity and improve passenger services. The Railways, he said, was systematically extending platforms meant for 12-coach trains to accommodate 15-coach rakes, with work already completed at several locations. He further said that the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors were now 100% complete and referred to the proposed East-West Dedicated Freight Corridor announced in the Union Budget. He also highlighted the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, Vande Bharat services, and the electrification of the 741-km Konkan Railway route, saying the latter would facilitate more environment-friendly travel while enabling higher train speeds.
The Dankuni-Surat corridor is being designed to connect parts of Vidarbha, Marathwada and western Maharashtra, with links towards Wardha and the Nashik port, he said. Vaishnaw attended the flagging-off function through video conferencing. Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde described the new service as a major boost for Konkan residents, migrant workers and devotees travelling to their native places during Ganeshotsav.
Mumbai: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday flagged off a new daily express connecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) with Sawantwadi Road, saying the service would address a long-standing demand for a direct rail link between Mumbai and the Konkan region.