A month and a half after taking over as the Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnav has made it clear that he will run the Indian Railways on the track of Antyodaya for the next three years. That is, along with the AC class passengers in the trains, better facilities will be increased for the common passengers as well. Passenger fares will be rationalized and the safety and security of railway passengers will be the top priority of the new Railway Minister.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said the above things for the first time in a four-hour marathon meeting with 17 GMs and 68 DRMs of Railways on Saturday. Explaining his priorities to the top railway officials, he said that there is a need to improve the sleeper and general category facilities. Unreserved trains will be run for this class of rail passengers. Under the government’s policy of reaching the benefit of the scheme till the last person, work will be done keeping in mind the common railway passengers.
Apart from this, Ashwini said that there will be no compromise on three issues, the first is corruption. He said that he himself will take the corrupt officer to jail. For the next three years, the officers who made financial irregularities should be reformed. At the same time, honest and hardworking railway workers will be supported in every way. The Railway Minister said that the officials should openly take decisions in the interest of the nation and the passengers. For this, if there is a need to change the policy, then he should take an appropriate decision, it will be approved. The safety and security of trains will not be compromised.
Sources say that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has set a target of redeveloping 150 railway stations in the next three years. Although railways has put more than 400 railway stations in this scheme. But Ashwini plans to develop 50 stations in mission mode for the time being. Arrangements will be made for the passengers at these stations ranging from modern facilities to stalls, food courts, city centre, rail mall, air-conditioned multi-purpose waiting hall, modern toilets etc.
