Page 22 - NIS English 01-15 February, 2025

COVER STORY
RAILWAYS' TRANSFORMATION
KISAN RAIL

railway station in Odisha has been designed on
the theme of the Lord Jagannath temple. You will ACCESS TO MARKETS WILL BE EASY
see the influence of local architecture at Rangpo Since the launch of Kisan Rail service in August 2020, the
railway station in Sikkim. Sanganer railway Railways has operated 2,364 Kisan Rail services. This service
station in Rajasthan displays 16th-century hand- has transported about 7.9 lakh tonnes of goods from
block printing. The design of Kumbakonam Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka,
station in Tamil Nadu is based on the architecture Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Punjab,
of the Chola period. Ahmedabad railway station Rajasthan, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Railways has
is inspired by Modhera Sun Temple. Dwarka given a subsidy of about Rs 154 crore for this.
station in Gujarat is inspired by the Dwarkadhish
temple. The railway station of IT city Gurgaon will
be dedicated to IT. That is, Amrit Bharat station
will introduce the world to the specialty of that
city. In the construction of these stations, special
attention has also been given to the convenience
of the disabled and the elderly.
For decades, the Railways had to be a victim
of selfish politics. But now the Indian Railways
is becoming the mainstay of ease of travel for
the countrymen. But now Indian Railways is
becoming the mainstay of ease of travel for the
citizens of the country. The railways, which always
complained of being in losses, is now going
through the biggest phase of transformation. ONE STATION-ONE PRODUCT
All this is happening today because India has
jumped from the 11th position to the 5th position
in the economy. Ten years ago, when India's ARTISANS GOT A NEW MARKET
economy was at the 11th position, the average Indian Railways started the 'One Station-One Product'
budget of the Railways was around Rs 45,000 scheme on an experimental basis, which was gradually
crore. implemented across the country. Under this scheme,
Today, when the country is the 5th largest better opportunities are provided to local artisans, potters,
economic power, the railway budget is more weavers, and craftsmen to display and sell indigenous and
local products through sales centers at railway stations.
than Rs 2.5 lakh crore. In such a situation, it can n 2170 sales centers have been started at 1906 stations in
be imagined that when India becomes the third the country. More than 83 thousand beneficiaries have
largest economic superpower in the world, how taken advantage of this scheme.
much more the country's strength will increase.
In the past 10 years, corruption has been curbed BHARAT GAURAV TRAIN
and looting of government money has been
prevented. Therefore, the speed of laying new
railway lines has doubled. Today, from Jammu WILL PROVIDE A GLIMPSE OF
and Kashmir to the Northeast, Indian Railways CULTURAL HERITAGE
is reaching such places that people had never Bharat Gaurav tourist trains are theme-based tourist circuit
even imagined. The work of the dedicated freight trains aimed at showcasing India's rich cultural heritage
corridor of more than 2500 km completed. and magnificent historical sites. It was launched by Prime
Honesty is one of the key factors behind it. Minister Narendra Modi. In 2024 alone, 1,04,077 people have
That means the money you paid in the form traveled through Bharat Gaurav trains in 158 trips.

20 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR | February 1-15, 2025