Ashwini Vaishnaw touts positive impact of record allocation of Rs 13,539 Cr for railways in Maharashtra

The record allocation of Rs 13,539 crore for railways in Maharashtra will have a "very good effect", Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday.

Addressing a press conference through video link from Delhi, Vaishnaw said that the allocation in the 2023-24 Budget for Maharashtra was 11 times the average allocation between 2009 to 2014.

Saying that the union government was getting good cooperation from the Eknath Shinde-led government, Vaishnaw reiterated the charge that when Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister, the bullet train project did not get any clearances from the state government.

"The deadline for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project (completion) is August 2026," he added.

The production of Vande Bharat Express trains has been ramped up and a train is being manufactured in 7 to 9 days, he said.

"We will modernize and redevelop 123 stations in Maharashtra. As for CSMT (in Mumbai), by March end tenders will be opened. Primary pre-work has already begun," Vaishnaw said.