Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai Flag Off Passenger Rail Services from Raoghat - Raipur and Raipur - Kurud
Inauguration of Taroki - Raoghat and Abhanpur - Kurud Rail Sections, Foundation Stone Laid for Modern Electric Locomotive Maintenance Facility in Raipur.
Rail development has gained unprecedented momentum in Chhattisgarh under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi: Chief Minister Shri Sai.
Rail connectivity expansion speeds up in Chhattisgarh, rail reaches Raoghat for the first time.
Rail projects worth Rs 54,000 crore are underway in the state, Chhattisgarh receives a railway budget of Rs 7,470 crore this year.
1,328 km of new railway tracks laid in the state after 2014, 32 railway stations being developed to world-class standards.
Expansion of rail network will open doors to development, employment, and new opportunities in remote and tribal areas: Chief Minister.
Raipur / A new and historic chapter has been added today in the direction of expanding rail connectivity in Chhattisgarh. Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai flagged off the new passenger rail services from Raoghat - Raipur and Raipur - Kurud from the capital Raipur Railway Station. On this occasion, the Taroki - Raoghat and Abhanpur - Kurud rail sections were inaugurated, and the foundation stone was laid for a modern electric rail engine maintenance facility in Raipur.
With the completion of the rail line construction from Taroki to Raoghat, Raoghat has been connected to the rail network for the first time since independence. This achievement is particularly significant for the remote and tribal areas of Bastar and South Chhattisgarh. The new rail services will improve the connectivity of these areas with the state capital Raipur and other major centers of the state, thereby boosting travel, trade, industry, education, health, employment, and the local economy.
On this historic occasion, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated the people of the state and said that under the leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, an era of unprecedented expansion of rail infrastructure is underway in Chhattisgarh. The double-engine government at the center and state strives to ensure that the benefits of modern rail facilities are not limited to big cities but reach remote and tribal areas, including Bastar and Surguja.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that the arrival of rail in Raoghat for the first time is not just the completion of a rail project, but the opening of new possibilities for the development of Bastar. Where rail reaches, the pace of development increases. It makes travel easier for people, increases access to markets, encourages industries and investment, and creates new opportunities for employment and livelihood for the youth.
He said that this gift to the state on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami is a matter of special joy and pride for Chhattisgarh. The Raoghat - Raipur and Raipur - Kurud rail services will strengthen the state's connectivity and open new doors of development.
Historic investment in rail infrastructure under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi
Addressing the program, Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, extensive work is being done for the development of railways in Chhattisgarh. Currently, rail development projects worth approximately Rs 54,000 crore are underway in the state. This year, the railway has allocated a budget of Rs 7,470 crore for Chhattisgarh.
He said that the establishment of rail connectivity to Raoghat and the start of passenger rail services from Raoghat - Raipur and Raipur - Kurud are important links in this comprehensive development journey. Efforts are also being made to develop rail connectivity from Raoghat to Jagdalpur in the coming times. Along with this, efforts are also being made to extend the rail connectivity from Raoghat - Jagdalpur - Koraput - Visakhapatnam. This will further strengthen the connectivity of Bastar and South Chhattisgarh with the country's major rail network and economic centers.
Rail reaches Raoghat for the first time since independence
The Dalli Rajhara - Raoghat rail project is one of Chhattisgarh's important rail projects. The total length of this project, costing approximately Rs 1,628 crore, is about 95 kilometers. With the completion of the 17.5-kilometer rail line between Taroki and Raoghat, rail connectivity has been established to Raoghat.
The arrival of rail in Raoghat for the first time since independence is a historic achievement for the Bastar region. This rail connectivity has further strengthened the route to connect remote tribal areas with the capital and other major centers. This will provide better transportation facilities to the local citizens and will also boost the economic activities, tourism, trade, and industrial development of the region.
A big step towards broad-gauge connectivity to Dhamtari with Raipur - Kurud rail service
Under the Abhanpur - Dhamtari gauge conversion project, gauge conversion of approximately 22 kilometers of rail line from Abhanpur to Kurud has been completed. With this, the new passenger rail service between Raipur and Kurud has given new strength to the rail connectivity of this region.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that earlier a narrow-gauge rail service operated between Raipur and Dhamtari. Now, with the conversion of this railway line to broad gauge, significant progress has been made in providing modern and better rail facilities to passengers. After the remaining work from Kurud to Dhamtari is completed, the way for the expansion of rail services from Raipur to Dhamtari will be further paved.
1,328 km of new railway tracks laid in Chhattisgarh after 2014
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that the picture of railway development in Chhattisgarh has changed rapidly since the formation of the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2014. He said that during the previous government's tenure, Chhattisgarh used to get a budget of about Rs 300 crore annually for railway development, whereas today it has increased to more than seven thousand crore rupees.
Chief Minister said that before 2014, only about 32 km of new railway line was extended in the state, while after 2014, approximately 1,328 km of new railway tracks have been laid in Chhattisgarh. This change shows the great priority given to Chhattisgarh's rail development under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi.
He said that along with a significant increase in the rail budget, work is progressing rapidly on new railway lines, doubling, electrification, modernization of stations, and expansion of passenger facilities.
32 railway stations being developed to world-class standards
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that work is being done to develop 32 railway stations in Chhattisgarh with modern and world-class facilities. Eight of these railway stations have been developed and are ready. Special emphasis has been placed on the development of modern facilities, better premises, and a convenient environment for passengers at these stations.
He said that modern railway stations are not just an expansion of passenger facilities, but they also promote economic activities, trade, tourism, and employment in the respective cities. The new rail infrastructure being developed in the state is being prepared keeping in mind the needs of the coming years.
Modern Electric Locomotive Maintenance Facility to be built in Raipur
During the program, the foundation stone for a modern electric rail engine maintenance facility was also laid in Raipur. With the development of this state-of-the-art facility, the capacity to maintain 300 high horsepower electric rail engines will be developed in the future.
This facility will improve the maintenance arrangements for rail engines, increase rail operational capacity, and help meet the growing demands of freight transportation. This project will also prove to be an important step towards developing Chhattisgarh as a significant center for modern technical and maintenance infrastructure of the railways.
Development will reach remote areas through new rail projects
Chief Minister Shri Sai expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw for the expansion of the rail network and approval of new projects in Chhattisgarh. Mentioning various rail projects including Kharsia - Parmalkasa, Raoghat - Jagdalpur, and Dongargarh - Katghora, he said that these projects will further strengthen rail connectivity in many areas of the state.
The Chief Minister also thanked the Union Railway Minister for including the demand for extending rail connectivity from Jashpur district's Pathalgaon towards the Lohardaga region in a special package.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that Chhattisgarh is a vast state geographically, and a large population resides in remote, forest, and tribal areas. The expansion of the rail network to such areas is going to bring a big change in the lives of the citizens. Increased rail connectivity will make it easier for students to access education, patients to get better health facilities, farmers and producers to reach larger markets, and youth to access employment opportunities.
He said that the government's goal is to deliver the benefits of development to the last person in society, and modern transportation infrastructure is an important medium to realize this resolve.
Gateway to new possibilities for Bastar's development
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that Bastar is now rapidly moving forward on a new journey of peace, trust, and development. Road, rail, electricity, telecommunications, and other basic infrastructure are being continuously expanded in the region. The arrival of rail in Raoghat will further accelerate this transformative journey.
He said that better rail connectivity will give new recognition to Bastar's natural and cultural heritage across the country and the world. It will facilitate the transportation of local products to larger markets, and new possibilities will develop for tourism, trade, and industrial activities.
A big gift of development for Chhattisgarh on Vijayadashami
Extending Vijayadashami wishes to the people of the state, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said that Vijayadashami is an auspicious festival of the victory of truth over falsehood and righteousness over unrighteousness. It is a matter of joy and pride for all of us to receive the gift of new rail services and modern rail infrastructure for Chhattisgarh on such an auspicious occasion.
Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the efforts of Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chhattisgarh's rail network is continuously expanding. The double-engine government is working with the resolve to connect every region of the state with the mainstream of development.
He said that the arrival of rail in Raoghat is the beginning of a new journey of development. In the coming times, by connecting more remote areas of the state with the modern rail network, Chhattisgarh will be rapidly transformed into a developed state with better connectivity, a strong economy, and ample opportunities.
Present at the program were Raipur MP Shri Brijmohan Agarwal, Mahasamund MP Smt. Roopkumari Chaudhary, Rajya Sabha MP Smt. Lakshmi Verma, Kanker MP Shri Bhojraj Nag, MLAs Shri Rajesh Moonat, Shri Motilal Sahu, Shri Purandar Mishra, former MP and MLA Shri Vikram Usendi, General Manager of South East Central Railway Shri Tarun Prakash, Divisional Railway Manager Shri Dayanand, and a large number of dignitaries and public representatives.