Tue Feb 04 10:57:39 IST 2025: ## Railway Minister Vaishnaw: West Bengal Railway Funding Tripled Under Modi Government

**Kolkata, Feb 4, 2025** – Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a significant increase in railway funding for West Bengal, claiming a threefold rise in allocation since Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as Railway Minister. Addressing a web conference on the Railway Budget 2025, Mr. Vaishnaw stated that West Bengal will receive ₹13,955 crore this year, compared to an average annual allocation of ₹4,380 crore between 2009 and 2014.

The Minister highlighted a total current investment of ₹68,000 crore in West Bengal’s railway infrastructure. He appealed to the West Bengal government for cooperation in land acquisition and addressing law and order issues to expedite project completion and benefit citizens. The modernization of 101 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and the addition of approximately 1290 km of tracks in the last 10 years were also mentioned. Nine Vande Bharat trains now operate in the state, and the Kavach safety system will cover 3,337 km of tracks.

Mr. Vaishnaw’s statement comes amidst criticism from the Trinamool Congress, which alleges a reduction in funding since the party last held the Railway Ministry. The Trinamool Congress held the portfolio under Mamata Banerjee and subsequently Mukul Roy and Dinesh Trivedi. The statement’s significance is amplified by the delays in key projects like the East-West Metro Project.

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