Shah flags off LNG-powered train and railway projects in Gujarat

Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off a dual-fuel LNG train and a WAG-12 electric locomotive at Sabarmati Railway Station in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The train was described in the source as India’s first LNG train. The locomotive can use up to 40% LNG in its Driving Power Car.

Shah also inaugurated, dedicated or laid foundation stones for railway projects valued at more than ₹1,500 crore. The projects include line doubling, the Kavach train-protection system, automatic signalling and a maintenance shed for WAG-12 electric locomotives. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and senior railway officials attended the event.

Speaking after the flag-off, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had transformed the Railways since taking office in 2014. He cited dedicated freight corridors, rapid rail, upgraded stations and trials of hydrogen-powered trains as examples of the government’s work. Shah also criticised the Congress, saying it had achieved little during its tenure apart from scams and corruption.

He challenged the party to debate the government on the basis of figures. The source material does not include a response from Congress to his comments. The minister said trials had been completed for a long double-stack container train between Mumbai and Vadodara.

He said the project could help address constraints on freight tracks. Shah said more than 11,000 kilometres of rail corridor was being converted into a four-track network. He also cited government figures indicating that 97% of train bio-toilets had been installed, 87% of LHB coaches were produced domestically and the railway safety budget had increased by 67% during Modi’s tenure.

He said rail electrification had reached 99.6%, with the remaining work expected to be completed soon. Shah also said Gujarat’s railway allocation had risen from ₹589 crore during 2009-14 to ₹17,366 crore in 2026-27.