Addressing the ‘NaMo 4 Viksit Bharat’ programme in Vadodara on September 08, Prime Minister Narendra Modi contrasted the current pace of railway development with that under previous governments. He said earlier railway budgets would announce one or two new trains, followed by months of publicity, whereas new train services are now being introduced regularly throughout the year.
Several railway services and projects were launched during the programme, including a new passenger train service between Vadodara and Tanda Road. The service is expected to benefit passengers across Vadodara, Chhota Udepur and Alirajpur. The Prime Minister also dedicated the Jobat-Tanda Road railway line to the nation. The line is part of the larger Chhota Udepur-Dhar railway project.
Highlighting India’s growing railway manufacturing capacity, PM Modi said around 50,000 modern railway coaches have been produced since 2014, while nearly 2.5 lakh freight wagons have been added to the national railway network. He also pointed to the expansion of domestic manufacturing of coaches, locomotives and wagons as evidence of India’s strengthening industrial capabilities and its focus on infrastructure-led development.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came during the launch of a wider transport infrastructure package in Vadodara, including the completion and operationalisation of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.
Three railway projects covering 329 km and costing more than ₹9,700 crore received foundation stones. These include additional lines between Vadodara and Ratlam, gauge conversion of the Miyagam Karjan-Choranda-Malsar section and doubling of the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi line.
PM Modi said the railway budget for the current year has crossed ₹2.75 lakh crore, significantly higher than allocations around 12 years ago. He linked higher infrastructure investment with employment generation, saying roads, railways, pipelines, ports and airports create jobs during construction and support industries and businesses after becoming operational.
He also highlighted Vadodara’s transformation into a major manufacturing and MSME centre, including its role in the C-295 military transport aircraft manufacturing programme.
The infrastructure programme also marked the dedication of the final sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, covering 326 km and involving an investment of more than ₹20,700 crore. The freight corridor is expected to strengthen cargo movement, improve logistics efficiency and support India’s wider manufacturing and economic growth ambitions.
PM Modi’s Vadodara address placed railway expansion, domestic manufacturing and freight infrastructure at the centre of the government’s broader strategy for infrastructure-led economic growth and employment generation.
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