Piyush Goyal thanks 'Rail Parivaar' for contributions in COVID year

'While the loss of our own would never be forgotten, it was the grit, determination and resolve of Rail Parivaar which had emerged victorious in the wake of the unprecedented pandemic'

GUWAHATI: Union Minister for Railways, Commerce & Industry, and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Piyush Goyal has thanked the 'Rail Parivaar' for their dedication and stupendous efforts and breaking almost all records in the COVID year.

While writing to the 'Rail Parivaar', Minister Goyal said that it was "a matter of great pride, satisfaction and gratitude as we bid goodbye to another financial year under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji." He further said, "The past year was unlike anything that we have experienced before. While the loss of our own would never be forgotten, it was the grit, determination and resolve of the 'Rail Parivaar' which had emerged victorious in the wake of the unprecedented pandemic."

Minister Goyal also said, "During the COVID-19 pandemic, our Railway family devoted itself to the service of the nation. While the world came to a standstill, the Railwaymen never took a day off, and worked even harder at a great personal risk to keep the 'Wheels of the Economy' moving." The Minister added, "Due to the commitment of all, we ensured the uninterrupted supply of essential goods, be it coal for power plants, fertilizer for farmers or food grains for the consumers across the country. Goyal also wrote that "the nation would always remember the selfless contribution of the 'Rail Parivaar' in its collective fight against COVID-19. The Minister added, "With your sheer willpower and resilience, we turned this crisis into an opportunity."

He pointed out, "A total of 4,621 Shramik Specials were run to unite families and carry more than 63 lakh stranded citizens. Despite limitations during the lockdown, 370 major safety and infrastructure works were completed. The 'Kisan Rail Services' became the medium to connect our 'Annadatas' directly with bigger markets. You, through your service, made this possible and in turn touched the hearts and lives of lakhs of people.

"It is a matter of immense pride for me that Railways, with its exemplary work, has spearheaded the economic recovery. 1,233 million tonnes of originating freight has been loaded, which is the best ever for any year. Altogether 6,015 RKM of Rail Electrification works has been achieved in the last Financial year. As they say, 'Records are meant to be broken', and no one does it better than the Indian Railways."

The Minister further added, "Now, the Railways has become a customer-centric and is taking numerous steps for improving its speed as well as operational efficiency. This is visible as the average speed of freight trains has almost doubled to 44 Kmph and punctuality of the passenger trains has been maintained at a level of 96%. There have been zero passenger fatalities and a drastic reduction in number of consequential train accidents in the last two years,'' stated a release.

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