VADODARA, SEPTEMBER 08: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took a swipe at the previous Congress-led government, alleging that the pace of development was slow during its tenure and highlighting the transformation in India’s railway infrastructure since 2014.
“After 2014, India built 50,000 modern rail coaches. The previous (Congress) regime could not build even 50,000 toilets in 10 years,” Modi said while addressing a gathering in Vadodara.
He was speaking at a programme where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of projects worth around Rs 35,000 crore in Gujarat.
Modi also inaugurated three key sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, connecting Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai with Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, marking the completion of the project.
“Dedicated freight corridors are the lifeline of a fast-developing India. India's transformation is accelerating because of this modern freight network,” he said.
The Prime Minister said passenger and freight trains earlier had to operate on the same tracks, affecting the speed and efficiency of both services. The Dedicated Freight Corridor, he added, has changed this system.
Taking another swipe at the opposition, Modi referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as “Naraz Fufa” without naming him, saying he would now question the impact of the freight corridor on truck drivers.
“Fufa has some work now,” Modi remarked.
Modi said work on the dedicated freight corridors gained momentum after 2014, when his government assumed office.
“Today, the Eastern and Western Freight Corridors are becoming the main backbone of the country's trade and business,” he said.
The Prime Minister described the 2,800-km Dedicated Freight Corridor as a testament to the transformation in the country's work culture over the past 12 years.
He said the idea for the project originated in 2004 and a special company was established in 2006 to implement it. However, he alleged that progress remained slow until 2014, with files moving from one place to another.
“Unfortunately, even these files weren't fortunate enough to get a dedicated corridor,” Modi said, taking a dig at the previous government.
