Parliament Gives Green Signal to Railways (Amendment) Bill

The Rajya Sabha has cleared the Railways (Amendment) Bill 2024 that seeks to upgrade the working and autonomy of the Railway Board. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the government's priorities of infrastructure upgradation, adoption of technology, and enhanced safety. In the last 11 years, 34,000 km of new tracks have been commissioned, and 45,000 km of tracks have been electrified. Safety outlays have grown very heavily, with annual expenditure currently crossing ₹1 lakh crore. The bill integrates provisions into the Railways Act, 1989, making governance easier and eliminating legal intricacies.

 

Source: The Print, Economic Times, NewsOnAir, PRS Legislative Research