Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, inaugurated India’s largest automobile-focused Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal on June 17 at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.'s Manesar facility in Haryana.

The state-of-the-art cargo terminal marks a significant boost to the country’s automotive logistics. Strategically linked to Patli railway station via a dedicated 10-km rail line, the terminal is a part of the larger 121.7 km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor, being developed by the Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC). The dedicated line was built with an investment of ?800 crore, of which HRIDC contributed ?684 crore, while Maruti Suzuki funded the rest.

With an annual loading capacity of 4.5 lakh automobiles, the terminal is one of the highest-capacity facilities of its kind in the country.

During the inauguration, Shri Vaishnaw highlighted the transformative progress made by Indian Railways over the past decade. He noted that the annual railway budget has seen a tenfold jump—from around ?24,000–25,000 crore in 2014 to ?2.5 lakh crore today. “Basic amenities like toilets were missing in many stations and coaches before 2014. In the last 2.5 years, over 1,200 general coaches have been added to enhance passenger comfort,” he said.

He also announced a major initiative to enhance passenger train services, with over 100 MEMU trains being upgraded from 8–12 coaches to 16–20 coaches. A new manufacturing unit for these trains has been established in Kazipet, Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing future plans, Shri Vaishnaw shared that 50 new Namo Bharat trains will be produced in response to strong public demand following the successful operation of two such trains.

On the freight and passenger performance front, he revealed that Indian Railways carried around 720 crore passengers and 1,617 million tonnes of freight in FY 2023–24—securing the second-highest freight volume globally and marking a historic performance for the railways.

For enhanced passenger convenience, he announced a new rule effective from July 1, 2025, under which only Aadhaar-authenticated and KYC-verified users will be able to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window.

He also highlighted a successful pilot project in the Bikaner Division, where reservation charts are now being prepared 24 hours ahead of train departures, replacing the earlier norm of 4 hours—a move that has received highly positive public feedback.

Discussing the rollout of Amrit Bharat trains, the Minister said three are already operational with positive public response. Six more will be launched soon, and 50 additional trains are currently under production.

Turning to Haryana’s railway development, Shri Vaishnaw emphasized the substantial rise in budget allocations—from ?300 crore in 2014 to ?3,416 crore in 2025. Over the past 11 years, the state has added 823 km of new rail lines, and its entire rail network is now electrified.

Ongoing projects worth ?11,800 crore are currently underway in the state. These include the redevelopment of 34 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and the construction of 540 road overbridges and underpasses.

He also mentioned that the modernization of the Railway Coach Factory in Sonipat is nearing completion and will significantly enhance coach production capabilities.

The event was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini, State Industries Minister Shri Rao Narbir Singh, MLA Shri Mukesh Sharma, and Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, CEO & MD of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.