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3 min readNew DelhiMar 18, 2026 01:10 AM IST
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during the second part of the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (PTI Photo)
RAILWAY MINISTER Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday hit out at the Opposition parties, specifically targeting the state governments of poll-bound West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, accusing them of obstructing crucial projects in their respective states.
Replying to the debate on Demands for Grants for the railway ministry, which was later passed by Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw took on MPs of the Trinamool Congress who compared the functioning of the ministry under the NDA to the one when their party chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee held the portfolio.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a new form to the politics of the country – he has brought it to politics of performance from politics of votebank…he took a decision which still benefits and will continue to in future. Merging the railway budget in the general budget led to three big benefits,” Vaishnaw said. “Railways began getting adequate funds;…secondly, new projects, new trains are being sanctioned around the year…thirdly, it has brought transparency.”
While 15,000 km of railway tracks had been constructed under the UPA, this increased to 35,000 km under the NDA, electrification went up from 5,200 km to 47,000 km and tunnels from 125 km to 486 km, he said.
“KAVACH was designated the national automatic train protection system in 2020…. During the UPA government, a technology called ACD (Automatic Collision Device) was brought between 2006 and 2011. This was when it after it was clearly established that the ACD cannot be used to prevent collisions. Despite this, Mamata ji, who was the then Railways Minister, still announced its implementation,” he alleged.
Accusing the Trinamool Congress of having done “grave injustice” to the people of West Bengal, Vaishnaw alleged that the state government had not given its nod for as many as 60 railways projects in the state.
Referring to Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy, who raised the matter of pending projects, Vaishnaw said, “He asked why there was no development of the Kolkata Metro… From 1972 to 2014, all the governments together worked on creating just 28 km. It is PM Narendra Modi ji who has worked to deliver 45 km in 11 years.”
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Blaming the Left and Congress governments in Kerala for not giving the requisite nod for railways projects in the state over the years, he also took on the DMK government in Tamil Nadu.
“In Tamil Nadu, out of 4,326 hectares of land, which is required for the railway project, only 24 per cent land has been acquired by the state government. Then they say: ‘Why are the Railway projects not being done?’ The railway projects can be done only when the state government acquires land,” he said.
Citing the example of the 71-km Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai new railway line project, Vaishnaw said out of 276 hectares of land required, only 33 hectares has been acquired.
He said, “Similarly, for Attipattu-Puttur new railway line, out of 189 hectares, zero hectare of land has been acquired. Same is the case with Mannargudi to Pattukkotta railway line…Thanjavur-Pattukkottai line, out of 152 hectares, zero hectare of land has been acquired… If this is the attitude of the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Government of Kerala, then how will the people get justice?”
Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 16 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism. Expertise High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including: The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls. National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus. Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities. National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements. Academic Credentials: Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions. Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read More
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