By Sudhanshu Mani
Can you imagine India without its railways? The crisscross of steel rails that traverses every corner of our vast country fueled the progress of an ambitious nation. India’s rail system has established itself as Asia’s second largest and the world’s fourth-largest rail network, with over 22,000 operating trains, a daily passenger count of 24 million and more than 200 million tonnes of freight. The Indian Railways is the foundation of India’s economy, – an enabler that has taken India places in more ways than one.
The Vande Bharat trains transformed the nature of rail travel in India, becoming the symbol of an aspirational and resurgent India. It proved we have the talent and capability to plan, design and manufacture a world-class trainset independently. We have come full circle as the government readies plans to export Vande Bharat trains by 2025-26.
It is important to note the progressive policies of the government in fast-tracking modernization of the railways. Encouraging Public-Private Partnerships and allowing 100% FDI in the railway sector enabled cutting-edge manufacturing facilities that furthered the Government’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ initiatives. The high speed, heavy freight train engines, WAG-12B locomotives that are being built at one of India’s largest integrated greenfield manufacturing facilities at Madhepura, Bihar is a fitting example. A joint venture between Alstom and Indian Railways, this is the largest Foreign Direct Investment project in the Indian Railway sector that has progressively achieved near 90% indigenization.
Today, the WAG-12B locomotives are not merely Made in India for India but are exported too. With India one of only six countries in the world to manufacture these high horsepower locomotives, this technical collaboration has put India on the manufacturing and skilled workforce world map. This venture has the potential to boost India’s ambitions of becoming a manufacturing hub. Rooted to our cause of Atmanirbharta, it has nurtured home grown talent across levels – from young graduates, engineering experts to senior leaders – for their ventures, proving to be a catalyst for India’s economic empowerment and self-sufficiency goals.
Metro: Solution to India’s urban mobility challenge
India will soon be the second-largest metro system in the world, outpacing Japan, Korea, and the US. At least 20 Indian cities have metro systems, with approximately 870 km of track in operation and an additional 1040 km of track under construction.
The metro revolution is part of the government’s overall Smart City mission to make urban India habitable for bigger populations. With half of India’s population expected to inhabit urban areas by
2050, metro rail networks are the most obvious choice of public transport given their reliability, affordability, and ability to reduce congestion caused by personal transport.
Increasing the share of the metro in a typical urban transport mix can help the economy reach its net zero CO2 emission commitments. Look at the Delhi Metro that has transformed the daily commuting habits of millions of the city inhabitants. More than 51 lakh passengers use the services helping to lower per-capita transport emissions.
Here too companies like Alstom have played a significant role in almost every metro project in India. Under the ‘Make in India’ campaign, the metro trainsets are now manufactured locally with a high proportion of components sourced locally.
The future is faster, safer and more sustainable
India will soon get its first high-speed regional train service, RAPIDX. This is a dedicated, high-capacity, comfortable commuter service for high density urban areas that is awaiting launch.
The policy initiatives by the Government of India have led to large investments by global players to build in India. This has led meaningful socio-economic impact while the country aims for a future that is faster, safer, and more sustainable. It stands the test of our Atmanirbharta – wherein our transition to a more innovative, green, and world-class economy is achieved on the foundation of self-reliance, ownership, and pride.
Given India’s commitments to combating climate change, railways are a natural means to help meet those goals. After all, trains are perhaps the most sustainable means of mass transit, both for people and freight. The investments in railways made today will truly enable the country to meet its long-term goals – not only from a sustainability point of view, but the larger socio-economic growth. Which is why, trains are truly taking India places.
The author Retired General Manager, Integral Coach Factory (ICF) and Creator – Vande Bharat Express.
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