Drawing a comparison, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav mentioned under the Narendra Modi administration, the Indian Railways has added 5.02 lakh jobs between 2014 and 2024, surpassing the 4.11 lakh jobs created during the UPA Government’s tenure from 2004 to 2014.
The Railway Minister revealed this data in a recent parliamentary session, addressing questions from MP Fauzia Khan of the Sharad Pawar faction.
Vaishnav highlighted that over 1.1 crore candidates participated in Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) exams between August and October 2022, with 1,30,581 successfully hired. He assured that there were no issues of paper leakage or similar irregularities during the recruitment process, with most new hires being assigned to safety-critical roles.
On the safety front, Vaishnav reported a significant reduction in consequential accidents, with figures dropping from 118 in 2013-14 to 40 in 2023-24. In response to queries, the Railway Ministry disclosed that there were 1,711 consequential accidents between 2004 and 2014, resulting in 904 deaths.
In contrast, during the NDA’s decade in power, there were 678 accidents with 748 fatalities. While the number of accidents decreased by 60 per cent, fatalities fell by 17 per cent.
Safety remains a high priority, with the budget for safety measures rising from ₹87,736 crore in 2022-23 to ₹1,08,795 crore in 2024-25. Over 9,572 coaches have been equipped with CCTV.
Additionally, Indian Railways is testing two baby berths attached to lower berths in a Lucknow Mail coach to enhance travel for mothers with infants. Initial passenger feedback has been positive, though there are some concerns about limited luggage space under the seat.
