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Ashwini Vaishnaw

Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Minister for Railways

Appears in 1 story

Notable Quotes

On technical parameters, Vande Bharat matches the best in the world. It accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in 52 seconds—faster than several premium trains in Japan and Europe.

PM Modi has always considered railway development in West Bengal to be of great importance, allocating a budget of ₹13,000 crore for this purpose.

PM Modi is giving West Bengal a gift of more than one dozen new trains, with the first service of Vande Bharat sleeper trains starting from Guwahati to Kolkata.

Stories

India's 170-year-old railway gets its first high-speed sleeper

Built World

Leading modernization push, overseeing Kavach and Vande Bharat expansion

India's railways date to 1853, when the first train ran 21 miles from Bombay to Thane under British colonial rule. For 170 years, long-distance overnight travel meant cramped, aging coaches. On January 17, 2026, India launched its first high-speed sleeper train—a 16-coach air-conditioned service covering 958 km between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) in 14 hours, three hours faster than existing options. The train entered commercial service on January 22, 2026, with a strict policy: no VIP quota, digital transactions only, and confirmed tickets exclusively. Recent announcements confirm plans for 260 Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets to transform long-haul travel.

Updated Feb 5