Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday that the NDA government has allocated a historic Rs 63.62 billion for the development of railways in Tamil Nadu. This allocation represents more than seven times the average annual funding of Rs 8.79 billion provided during the UPA era. Vaishnaw made this announcement on X, highlighting the significant increase in investment for the state’s railway infrastructure.
The minister’s statement comes in response to concerns raised by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin about a reduction in funds for railway projects in Tamil Nadu. Vaishnaw addressed these concerns by emphasizing the record funding level and suggesting that progress on projects could be expedited if the state government supported the Centre in acquiring the necessary land.
Currently, only 807 hectares of the required 2,749 hectares of land have been acquired. Vaishnaw urged the state government to accelerate the land acquisition process, indicating that the Centre is willing to match the state’s efforts in advancing the development of railway projects. He reassured that if the state government made a concerted effort, the Centre would reciprocate with even greater support, aiming to push forward the railway development agenda in Tamil Nadu.
