Blaming the Congress for prevailing ills in the Indian Railways, Union Railway minister Suresh Prabhu said that the previous UPA Government did not take any interest in expansion of the world's largest public carrier resulting in poor networking.
"The Congress ruled the country for maximum period but the party did not take any appropriate measure to bring in investment for Railways," he said while laying the foundation of Ballia-Chapra double track in Ballia on Monday.
Prabhu said that the Narendra Modi government has given special thrust on Railways with the proposed investments of Rs 8.5 lakh crores and the government has started to arrange the required funds.
"Indian Railways is going closer to the people and the government is now concentrating on smooth running of trains," he said alleging that Congress did not take interest in modernisation of the Railways.
“Acche din of the Modi government is now being discussed on the social sites too and on Facebook people have accepted that Railway's have improved over the last one year," he claimed.
Union minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said that the UPA government has spent Rs 1000 crore in its 10 year rule, but the NDA government has already sanctioned Rs 4200 crore this year.
He announced that the speed of the developing the Railways will increase and in the next budget two projects - Bhatni-Auhiriyar doubling and Indira- Dohrigaht meter guage would be converted to broad guage.
The minister said that Uttar Pradesh has got a lion’s share in improving the rail network. “The state has got the major thrust in doubling of the tracks by 454 per cent,” he said.