Guwahati, Feb 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a fleet of 50 modern electric buses for Bhavnagar on Saturday as part of the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme, marking a further expansion of sustainable urban transport in India.

The buses were flagged off under the national scheme to promote clean and sustainable public transport, during the Prime Minister’s visit to Assam where he inaugurated projects worth over Rs 5,450 crore.

Bhavnagar is the first city in Gujarat to receive buses under the initiative, with 50 vehicles handed over on the day and plans for a total of 100 to serve the city’s residents.

The air-conditioned buses are equipped with facilities to assist passengers with disabilities and include CCTV cameras to enhance commuter safety.

Under the scheme’s roll-out in Gujarat, a total of 750 electric buses are expected to be deployed across eight cities in the state.

In addition to Bhavnagar, allocations include 250 buses in Vadodara, 100 each in Rajkot and Gandhinagar, 50 each in Jamnagar and Junagadh, 80 in Gandhidham and 20 in Navsari.

The Gujarat Urban Development Mission (GUDM) has been appointed the state nodal agency for implementation by the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen India’s public transport infrastructure and reduce carbon emissions in urban mobility.

In Gujarat, infrastructure and technical facilities to support electric bus operations are being advanced, reflecting a coordinated push towards clean transport solutions.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi made a historic landing at the region’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh district aboard an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft.

The 4.2 kilometres reinforced stretch of National Highway-37 was inaugurated as a strategic dual-use runway capable of accommodating military and civilian aircraft during emergencies.

Officials said it will enhance defence preparedness, logistics and disaster response capacity in the region.

Prime Minister Modi also witnessed an aerial display by Indian Air Force fighter jets, transport aircraft and helicopters following the landing.

The Solapur Division of Central Railway organised the 70th Railway Week 2025 function on 13th February 2026 at Siddheshwar Railway Officers’ Club Auditorium Hall, Solapur. On the occasion, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Solapur Division,  Sujeet Mishra awarded the Rail Seva Puraskar 2025 to recognise the exemplary contributions of railway employees of Solapur Division. 

The event featured the distribution of 30 individual awards for outstanding employees and 9 Efficiency Shields for top-performing depots. The awardees of Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar 2025 at the zonal level and winners of the DRM’s Cleanliness Inspection held on 09 February 2026 were also felicitated.

Individual Awardees: The following employees from their respective departments were awarded for their outstanding work:

Amit Kumar – Account Assistant, Solapur

General Admin: 

Yogesh Kumar – Station Master, Solapur

Fulchand Laxman – Sr Technician (Mason), Shahabad

 Ravi Kumar Rajpal Singh – Senior Section Engineer (Permanent Way), Solapur

Rahul Krishna Shinde – Track Maintainer-III, Modnimb

Balaji Babar – Senior Section Engineer (Permanent Way), Barshi Town

Laxman Sarangdhar Randive – Track Maintainer-IV, Kurduvadi

Vikas Mahadev Rathod – Track Maintainer-III, Hotgi

Om Prakash Bijarniya – Junior Engineer (Permanent Way), Mohol

Rajkumar Prasad – Track Maintainer-III, Bablad

Kale Anand Mahadeo – Chief Commercial Inspector, Kurduvadi

Mobin Shaikh – Train Ticket Inspector (TTI), Solapur

Mechanical C&W (Carriage & Wagon) Department:

 Mallikarjun Hunchappa – Sr.Technician, Wadi

Chintamani Moge – Senior Section Engineer, Pandharpur

Malappa Achhigar – Assistant/Tl & AC, Solapur

Electrical TRD (Traction Distribution) Department:

S.H.Mulamani – Chief Loco Inspector (CLI)/Loco, Solapur

R.D.Kulkarni – Chief Loco Inspector (CLI)/Loco, Kurduvadi

Pramod Naratwadekar – Senior Section Engineer (TRD), Solapur

Endella Mahesh Babu – Senior Section Engineer (TRD), Dudhani

Shivendra Pratap Singh – Chief Nursing Supervisor, Solapur

Operating Department:

Thakur Mukesh Kumar – Station Master, Hotgi

Sunil Kumar Suman – Station Master, Dharashiv

Aniket Singh – Pointsman-B, Bale

Deen Bandhu- Station Manager, Solapur

Samadhan Bharat Koli – Office Superintendent, Solapur

Security Department:

Ritesh Kumbhar – Head Constable, Solapur

Signal & Telecommunications Department:

Rashid Hamid Shiakh – Technician Grade-III (Telecom, TCM), Solapur

 Suhas Mane – Junior Engineer (Signal), Pandharpur

 Durgacharan Nagle – Senior Section Engineer (TRD), Solapur

Stores D The following depots were presented efficiency shields in various categories for excelling in operational efficiency, maintenance and service delivery:

Commercial Efficiency Shield – IOCL Siding, Pakni

 Operating Efficiency Shield (Best Yard) – Wadi Yard

Operating Efficiency Shield (Best Station) – Washimbe Station

Inter Depot C&W Shield – Carriage & Wagon (C&W) Depot, Solapur

 Best Crew Booking Lobby – Crew Lobby, Solapur

Medical Department – Railway Hospital, Wadi

Electrical (General) – Electrical (Maintenance), Solapur

Electrical (TRD) – TRD (Traction Distribution) Depot, Kettur

Signal & Telecommunications – Tele Depot, Solapur

The function was graced by the presence of CRWWO Solapur Office Bearers,  Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Solapur Division  Anshumali Kumar, branch officers, railway union representatives and railway staff of Solapur Division. 

The Railway Week celebration is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of railway personnel. It underscores the Solapur Division’s commitment to delivering efficient and high-quality services to passengers and freight customers alike.  

Mumbai: The Mumbai Suburban network of Western Railway is set to further strengthen passenger services with the introduction of 12 additional AC local train services and 3 new Non AC services w.e.f. 19th February, 2026. 

Responding to the growing popularity of air-conditioned travel, while recognising the continued need for affordable options for the masses, Western Railway aims to offer a balanced and inclusive commuting experience. The augmentation in services will help ease overcrowding and offer better travel experience. 

According to  Western Railway, 12 AC Local services are being introduced, of which 11 services will replace existing non AC services, while one will be a new AC service. In addition to this, three additional non AC services are also being introduced. With this increase, the total number of AC services will increase from 121 to 133 and the total number of local services of Western Railway network will increase from 1410 to 1414.

The number of AC services operating on Saturdays and Sundays will also be significantly increased from 77 to 106, further enhancing comfort and capacity for weekend commuters. In addition to this, a slow local service that is presently operating from Bhayandar to Bandra will operate from Virar, providing added convenience and improved connectivity for commuters. 

This initiative reflects Western Railways commitment to delivering safer, efficient and passenger friendly services across Mumbai’s Lifeline.