In the Lok Sabha, the opposition has demanded that more trains be run for the common man and that they be provided with proper facilities during travel.
Participating in the discussion on the demands for grants for railways for the year 2026-27, Trinamool Congress's Satabdi Roy said on Tuesday that trains should be run for workers and common people and it should be ensured that they do not face any kind of trouble during travel. She said that those who buy tickets at the last moment get lower seats reserved while the elderly get upper seats when booking in advance. Rich people travel comfortably while the common man faces difficulties during travel. Ms. Roy said that the lower berth should be reserved only for the elderly. Even for people over 80 years old, upper seats are reserved, which causes them a lot of trouble. There have also been reports of them falling and getting injured while climbing to the upper berths. She also demanded the restoration of fare concessions for senior citizens.
She said that local vendors are supplying food in trains, which is of poor quality and lacks hygiene.
Ms. Roy said that the railways are also charging money for canceling tickets included in the waiting list for reservation, which is not justified.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas Paswan)'s Arun Bharati said that during the Modi government's tenure, the railways have done unprecedented work. A record number of railway under-bridges and over-bridges have been built. Corruption has been eradicated and the railways have become synonymous with development.
Congress's Raj Mohan Unnithan said that the Indian Railways is not just a means of transportation, it is the country's lifeline. Trains play a crucial role in providing the common man with livelihood, education, and health facilities. In this light, the government should focus on running trains for the common man and ensuring that they have a comfortable journey. While big talks are made about modern trains, bullet trains, and big stations, there is also a need for serious discussion on running trains for the common man.
BJP's Malavika Devi said during the discussion on the demands for grants for railways for the year 2026-27 that in her parliamentary constituency Kalahandi, Odisha, a new definition of railway development has been written. She said that all her demands have been approved on a priority basis. She further said that the Modi government has worked to improve both the safety and speed of the railways. A large number of stations have been renovated under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)'s Mr. Abhay Kumar Sinha said that the government should tell why Aurangabad, Bihar has been neglected in the railway sector. He said that regarding various demands related to his constituency, he himself met the Railway Minister and submitted a written request, but no problem in his area has been solved yet. He said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the stoppage of many stations for mail and passenger trains was stopped, which should be restored. Also, the concessions that were earlier available to the disabled and senior citizens should be restored. He demanded that five general coaches be added to every mail and express train.
Samajwadi Party's Lakshmi Kant Nishad said that the government is calling it a developmental budget, but the government has not done anything about regular trains. By handing over the railways to private hands, the government is ruining the future of children. He demanded that the railway line being built between Bahraich-Khalilabad be connected to Ambedkar Nagar.
Janata Dal (United)'s Dr. Alok Kumar Suman said that the Indian Railways is not just a means of transportation, but a foundation for development. He said that about 2 crore people travel by rail every day, which is why the railways are called the lifeline. The Indian Railways is constantly becoming modern and world-class. He demanded that the number of platforms at Thawe Junction in his parliamentary constituency Gopalganj be increased and a foot-over bridge be built at the station.
Telugu Desam Party's Krishna Prasad Tieneti said that the funding for the development of railway infrastructure is highly commendable. The Indian Railways has taken a big leap towards a developed India. He said that several projects are being run to strengthen the railway infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh. Many stations are being built in Andhra Pradesh under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. He demanded that trains connect his constituency Bapatla to other cities. He also demanded a stop for the Vande Bharat train in his constituency.
BJP's Dr. Rajesh Mishra said that the railways play a crucial role in the development of the country. He said that the railway budget is a visionary renewal and reflects the interests of the people.
Congress Party's Bhajan Lal Jatav said that earlier, the railways used to have a separate budget, which used to raise a lot of hopes among people. In the last ten years, not a single general coach has been added. The railways are not for industrialists, but for the common people. He said that work on the Karauli-Dholpur railway project is progressing at a slow pace and should be expedited. The trains that were stopped during the Corona period should be restarted. A Vande Bharat train should be run from Delhi to Kota.
Samajwadi Party's Rajeev Rai said that he has repeatedly demanded a Vande Bharat train for his parliamentary constituency Mau, but the government has not paid attention to it yet. He said that the biggest problem here is the railway underpass. The government has assured action on the matter but has not taken any action yet.
Independent candidate Abdul Rashid Sheikh said that the government deserves praise for building the largest railway bridge over the Chenab river. He further said that along with reducing physical distances, it is necessary to reduce emotional distances. The people of Kashmir should be given one to two percent reservation in the railways. He said that the government should talk to the people of Kashmir by stopping the atrocities there.
BJP's Aashish Dubey said that the statistics show that there has been a record investment during the Modi government. He said that during the UPA government, only 4 kilometers of railway line were laid every day, but now more than 14 kilometers of railway line are being laid every day. The Modi government has modernized the railways with a citizen-centric approach. By connecting large parts of the country through the Vande Bharat train, it is providing comfortable travel to the people.
Congress's Manoj Kumar said that in his constituency, Sasaram, many railway demands are pending, which are necessary for the development of the area. Many railway stations in our area still do not have proper facilities for drinking water and toilets. He said that at least basic facilities should be provided at the stations. He further said that there are a large number of vacancies in the railways that need to be filled. The government had promised to increase the number of general coaches, but it has not been fulfilled yet.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Vijay Kumar Hansda demanded that some trains be stopped in his area and a train be run for Ranchi. He said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, local trains and their stoppages were stopped, which should be restored.
Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde thanked the government for improving rail services and said that the railways are the backbone of the citizens' livelihood, and a large number of people reach their workplaces through it. He expressed happiness that the government has taken important steps to improve the railways in Kalyan, providing important facilities to the public. He referred to Gandhi's 1916 article on the pathetic condition of third-class railway travel and expressed surprise that this situation continued until 2014, but since then, the changes that have come in the railways are a symbol of the country's development. He said that in Maharashtra, railway projects worth Rs 23,000 crore are being run, and in Kalyan alone, work is being done at a cost of Rs 800 crore.
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party's Hanuman Beniwal said that the government makes tall claims about improving the railways, but the truth is that the rail travel of the poor has not improved yet. He referred to several train accidents in recent years and said that the government should pay special attention to rail safety. Demanding recruitment to fill the vacant posts in the railways, he said that the government should provide details about how many people from the reserved category will be given jobs.
Bharat Adivasi Party's Raj Kumar Rout said that the Dungarpur-Banswara railway line was approved in 2013, but work on it has not started yet. He said that Banswara is the only district where the rail has not reached yet. He further said that this is a tribal area and the tribals are not getting compensation for the railway line, so compensation should be given according to the rules. He said that the demand to change the name of the Dungarpur railway station has been going on for a long time. He demanded that it be fulfilled and a direct rail service be started from Dungarpur to Delhi.