A proper and sustainable transportation sector would play a key role to fast-track India’s development and economic growth, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said here today.

“A proper sustainable transportation sector has the potential to play a key role in India’s economic growth including removal of social disparity, and reducing global greenhouse gas emission,” Prabhu told a Washington audience.

He added that railways would be the backbone of India’s transportation sector.

“I do not think India can achieve higher economic growth unless we put in place a strong transportation sector,” Prabhu said at an event at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a top American thinktank.

Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government wants to make infrastructure growth a priority, Prabhu said transportation would be a key element of the country's development and fast-paced growth.

In this strategy, Prabhu said the railways would play a key role.

“Indian railways has a very low carbon footprint, a vast network of railroad and is all set to expand its network across the country,” he said.

Early this week, Prabhu said the ministry decided to connect the capitals of all the eight states in the North-East with a rail network in the “next four-five years.”

Railways is one transportation sector, Prabhu said, which combines the social dimension and is environment-friendly. He said India wants to involve the US in its modernisation of the railways.

India is already working with more than a dozen countries in this regard. He is scheduled to meet World Bank officials and the US Transportation Secretary during his current trip to the American capital.

Efforts are also being made to revamp customer service including new seats, reservation system, and food quality.

“About 27 million people travel by the railways every day. We started a new process by putting it on twitter. We are able to solve complaints on a real-time basis. We need to have a completely responsive system in place,” he said.

Noting that globally the railways derive more than 30 per cent of its income from non-railway operations, he said the modernisation of railway stations and its real estate was a step in that direction. As of now the Indian Railways earns less than one per cent of its income from non-railway operations,” he said.

“Things are changing. Changing for the better, But, a long way to go... In the next five years, we will double the money being invested today,” he said.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW