Zero fatality in Indian Railways since April 1 this year: Piyush Goyal

No casualties have been reported in railway-related accidents since April 1 this year, said Union Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal.

"In the current year, from April 1, 2019, till today, we have had zero fatality in the Indian Railways," he told media persons here.

Goyal, who is currently in Sweden, also ruled out the privatisation of Indian Railways, saying the entity will continue to be under the government.

"I have ruled out privatisation of Indian Railways. It will continue to be an Indian government's entity. It serves the people of India. But I do believe in large investments in railways," he said.

Earlier, talking to ANI Goyal said the Centre is planning to provide WiFi service inside trains in the next four to four-and-a-half years. He added that the service is available at around 5,150 railway stations in India.

"We are trying to provide WiFi services at all 6,500 stations by the end of next year," Goyal told ANI.

When asked about providing WiFi service inside trains, the minister said: "It is a more complicated technology subject. Giving WiFi in running trains requires investment ... Towers need to be put and there has to be equipment inside trains. In this, we might have to bring in foreign technology and investors."

He, however, added: "It will help a lot in terms of security as CCTVs would be there in every train compartment and its live feed will go to the police station. The signalling system will work in a better manner through WiFi facility. In the next four or four-and-a-half years, we will start this facility."

Goyal also told media persons here: "We are modernising stations with the help of private players like we did in Bhopal for instance where a private company has modernised the entire station. It is nearing completion."

"NBCC is working at 12 to 13 locations to modernise the station and simultaneously to develop the complexes for housing, commercial activity, shopping malls in a cross-subsidy model. Once these models become successful, there will be faster rollout across the country."

The Union Minister said that the Central government is planning to segregate the station modernisation with the monetisation of land.

"There are lots of possibilities to involve the private sector in these activities. There are several locations across the country where there will be a huge demand of Railway land," he said.

"We have planned to use railway land for solar installation in a big way. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we want to make Railways the world's first zero-emission Railway," he said.

Goyal said that in another four-five years, Railways will be 100 per cent electric.

"We are also planning for industrial parks on railway lands. It's a new area. We are trying to locate certain parcels of land, which the Railways do not require and which can at some stage become industrial parks and generators of a number of jobs and working opportunities while adding to the economic activity of India," added Goyal.