Amit Shah unveils India’s first LNG train; claims: “Modi transformed railways, Congress known for scams”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel flag off India’s first LNG dual-fuel train and WAG-12 high-performance electric locomotives using up to 40% LNG in the Driving Power Car (DPC) at the Sabarmati railway station in Ahmedabad on September 27, 2026. Photo credit: ANI

Union Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (Sep 27, 2026) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had transformed the railways and asked people to challenge the Congress – which he claimed was “talking nonsense” – for a debate based on facts and figures.

Speaking after flagging off the country’s first LNG train from Gujarat’s Sabarmati station, Mr Shah said the Congress had done nothing but cheat during its tenure. In contrast, “no one has been able to accuse Modi of corruption even four years in 12 years”.

“I only want to talk about the railway,” Mr Shah said. “Dedicated freight corridor, fast rail system, premium stations – all these were initiated by Modiji. Further, by introducing a train running on hydrogen, he made India among only 4 countries in the world,” Shah said.

“Congress is talking nonsense. People of the country should ask them to discuss the numbers. You (Congress) have done nothing except scams, scams and corruption to the tune of ₹12 crore.”

Projects worth ₹1500 crore

Mr. Shah also flagged off the electric locomotive WAG-12 from Sabarmati station. In addition, he dedicated himself to the nation, inaugurating and laying foundation stones for major railway projects worth over ₹1,500 crore. These include the doubling of the track, the Kavach train safety device, the automatic safety device and the WAG-12 electric locomotive repair shop.

Welcoming Mr. Modi’s contribution, Mr. Shah said that trials of the first long double-compartment container train from Mumbai to Vadodara have been successfully completed. This would help the country overcome the lack of lanes for the movement of goods.

“Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, he has introduced several new railway facilities and upgraded the infrastructure. Under the Modi government, more than 11,000 km of railway corridor is being converted into a 4-track network,” Shah pointed out.

Mr. Shah said 97% of all bio toilets were installed in trains by the Modi government, while 87% of LHB buses were made in India during the Prime Minister’s tenure. Further, the railway safety budget has increased by 67% and locomotive manufacturing capacity has increased by 66% during the Modi government, he said.

Solidified Make in India

“Modi has cemented the concept of Make in India, the concept of a self-sufficient India and this is its result. During 2015-16, railways consumed 293 million liters of diesel. By 2030, this will be reduced to zero, resulting in substantial savings in foreign exchange. This is a big achievement that people have not noticed,” Mr Shah said.

Mr. Shah noted that the annual electrification of railway tracks has increased from 75 km in 2010-11 to 7,188 km in 2023-24, adding that the difficult task has been completed smoothly.

“Railways have completed 99.6 per cent electrification and we will complete the remaining 0.3 per cent soon. In comparison, electrification is 92% in China, 68% in Spain, 60% in France and 49% in Britain. We will ensure that it reaches 100% in India,” he said.

Mr. Shah said the allocation for Gujarat in the railway budget was ₹ 589 crore in 2009-14, rising to ₹ 17,366 crore in 2026-27.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi and senior railway officials were present.

Published – 27 Sep 2026 21:08 IST