Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with a passenger in Vande Bharat Express train.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The government will implement three major economic railway corridor programmes and convert 40,000 normal railway bogies to Vande Bharat standards, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.
Presenting the interim budget for 2024-25, she said that creating the corridors will decongest high-traffic corridors and also improve passenger train operations.
While railway corridors will improve efficiency of logistic services and reduce cost, conversion of coaches will increase safety, convenience and comfort of passengers, she said.
"Three major economic railway corridor programmes will be implemented. These are: energy, mineral and cement corridors, port connectivity corridors, and high-traffic density corridors," Sitharaman said.
"The projects have been identified under PM Gati Shakti for enabling multi-modal connectivity. They will improve logistics efficiency and reduce cost," she said.
The creation of new railway corridors will result in decongestion of high-traffic corridors and 'will also help in improving operations of passenger trains, resulting in safety and higher travel speed for passengers', Sitharaman said.
"Together with dedicated freight corridors, these three economic corridor programmes will accelerate our GDP growth and reduce logistic costs," the Finance Minister said.
She said that '40,000 normal rail bogies will be converted to Vande Bharat standards to enhance safety, convenience and comfort of passengers'.