Indian Railways could run 100-plus new trains; Piyush Goyal reveals how

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal today said that an analysis done by his department has found that 100-plus new trains could be run on shorter routes by cutting layover time. Layover time is defined as the idle time of a train at the originating or terminating station before commencement of journey. "The analysis has found that 100-plus new trains could be started just by using trains lying idle on shorter routes," Goyal said at 58th National Cost Convention here.

The minister gave the example of high-speed Gatimaan Express plying between Hazrat Nizamuddin and Agra. The train has been extended up to Gwalior and will, thereafter, be extended to Jhansi, cutting the layover time, he said. He said the extension of service has benefited the people of Bundelkhand region at no extra cost. The details of the analysis could be announced soon, the minister added. On the role of cost accounts and costing at large, Goyal said they have a big role to play to make the country cost competitive in doing business and bring out the best competitive advantages of working in India.

The cost accounts, he said, also have a major role to play as far as checking corruption in the country was concerned. "There is a cost of corruption that the country has to pay. A recent study has said two per cent of the GDP is lost because of corruption," he said.