New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised the need for three times more efforts on safety, maintenance, quality, and training to modernise infrastructure and provide a world-class experience to commuters.

While conferring the 69th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar to 101 railway officials and 22 shields to best performing zones in different categories on Saturday at the Bharat Mandapam here, Vaishnaw announced a significant focus on maintenance, innovation, industry collaborations, enhanced inspection systems, and improved training for officers and technicians, incorporating feedback from grassroots levels.

Chairman & CEO of Railway Board, Satish Kumar, Members of the Railway Board, and General Managers of various Railway Zones and Production Units attended he event.

According to a press statement from the Railway Board, Vaishnaw highlighted the transformative progress achieved by the Railways over the past decade.

He emphasised the rapid construction pace, completing projects like the Kashmir to Kanyakumari rail link and pending North-East connectivity initiatives.

Electrification efforts have surged, with a goal of 100% electrification by 2025, while projects such as Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and the freight corridors have gained momentum, he added.

According to the Railway Minister, the Kavach safety system has been implemented on a massive scale.

He also underlined the remarkable progress in station redevelopment, substantial reduction in consequential accidents (from 345 to 90), and an efficient recruitment process, free of complaints, filling 1.5 lakh positions.

Cleanliness initiatives have drawn praises, including commendation from opposition leaders, and a new Super App is set to revolutionize passenger experience soon, the minister said The Railways confers the ‘Ati Vishisht Rail Puraskar’ on its employees every year.

“These awards are given into two categories, the individual awards, as well as Shields presented to the best-performing Railway Zones,” the statement said.