Minister of Railways, Government of India
The Minister of Railways heads the Ministry of Railways, responsible for the management, operation, and expansion of the Indian Railways network — one of the world’s largest. The minister oversees railway safety, infrastructure development, passenger amenities, and modernization projects aimed at improving connectivity and efficiency across the country.
List of Railways in India from 1947 to present:
Name | Duration | Political Party | Prime Minister at That Time |
Ashwini Vaishnaw | 10 June 2024 – Incumbent | Bharatiya Janata Party | Narendra Modi |
Ashwini Vaishnaw | 7 July 2021 – 9 June 2024 | Bharatiya Janata Party | Narendra Modi |
Piyush Goyal | 31 May 2019 – 7 July 2021 | Bharatiya Janata Party | Narendra Modi |
Piyush Goyal | 3 September 2017 – 30 May 2019 | Bharatiya Janata Party | Narendra Modi |
Suresh Prabhu | 9 November 2014 – 3 September 2017 | Bharatiya Janata Party | Narendra Modi |
D. V. Sadananda Gowda | 27 May 2014 – 9 November 2014 | Bharatiya Janata Party | Narendra Modi |
Mallikarjun Kharge | 17 June 2013 – 26 May 2014 | Indian National Congress | Manmohan Singh |
Manmohan Singh (Acting) | 15 June 2013 – 17 June 2013 | Indian National Congress | Manmohan Singh |
C. P. Joshi | 11 May 2013 – 15 June 2013 | Indian National Congress | Manmohan Singh |
Pawan Kumar Bansal | 28 October 2012 – 11 May 2013 | Indian National Congress | Manmohan Singh |
C. P. Joshi | 22 September 2012 – 28 October 2012 | Indian National Congress | Manmohan Singh |
Mukul Roy | 20 March 2012 – 22 September 2012 | Trinamool Congress | Manmohan Singh |
Dinesh Trivedi | 12 July 2011 – 19 March 2012 | Trinamool Congress | Manmohan Singh |
Manmohan Singh (Acting) | 19 May 2011 – 12 July 2011 | Indian National Congress | Manmohan Singh |
Mamata Banerjee | 23 May 2009 – 19 May 2011 | Trinamool Congress | Manmohan Singh |
Lalu Prasad Yadav | 23 May 2004 – 22 May 2009 | Rashtriya Janata Dal | Manmohan Singh |
Nitish Kumar | 20 March 2001 – 22 May 2004 | Janata Dal (United) | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Acting) | 16 March 2001 – 20 March 2001 | Bharatiya Janata Party | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Mamata Banerjee | 13 October 1999 – 16 March 2001 | Trinamool Congress | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Ram Naik (MoS I/C) | 6 August 1999 – 13 October 1999 | Bharatiya Janata Party | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Nitish Kumar | 19 March 1998 – 5 August 1999 | Samata Party | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Ram Vilas Paswan | 1 June 1996 – 19 March 1998 | Janata Dal | H. D. Deve Gowda |
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Acting) | 16 May 1996 – 1 June 1996 | Bharatiya Janata Party | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
P. V. Narasimha Rao | 18 August 1995 – 16 May 1996 | Indian National Congress | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
C. K. Jaffer Sharief | 21 June 1991 – 17 August 1995 | Indian National Congress | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
Janeshwar Mishra | 21 November 1990 – 21 June 1991 | Samajwadi Janata Party | Chandra Shekhar |
George Fernandes | 6 December 1989 – 10 November 1990 | Janata Dal | V. P. Singh |
Madhavrao Scindia | 22 October 1986 – 2 December 1989 | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv Gandhi |
Mohsina Kidwai | 24 June 1986 – 22 October 1986 | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv Gandhi |
Rajiv Gandhi (Acting) | 4 June 1986 – 24 June 1986 | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv Gandhi |
Bansi Lal | 25 September 1985 – 4 June 1986 | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv Gandhi |
Bansi Lal (Transport) | 31 December 1984 – 25 September 1985 | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv Gandhi |
A. B. A. Ghani Khan Choudhury | 2 September 1982 – 31 October 1984 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
Prakash Chandra Sethi | 15 January 1982 – 2 September 1982 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
Kedar Pandey | 12 November 1980 – 15 January 1982 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
Kamalapati Tripathi | 14 January 1980 – 12 November 1980 | Indian National Congress (I) | Indira Gandhi |
T. A. Pai | 28 July 1979 – 14 January 1980 | Janata Party (Secular) | Charan Singh |
Madhu Dandavate | 26 March 1977 – 28 July 1979 | Janata Party | Morarji Desai |
Kamalapati Tripathi | 10 February 1975 – 23 March 1977 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
Lalit Narayan Mishra | 5 February 1973 – 3 January 1975 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
T. A. Pai | 22 July 1972 – 5 February 1973 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
Kengal Hanumanthaiah | 18 March 1971 – 22 July 1972 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
Gulzarilal Nanda | 18 February 1970 – 18 March 1971 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
Panampilly Govinda Menon | 4 November 1969 – 18 February 1970 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
Ram Subhag Singh | 14 February 1969 – 4 November 1969 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
C. M. Poonacha | 13 March 1967 – 14 February 1969 | Indian National Congress | Indira Gandhi |
S. K. Patil | 9 June 1964 – 11 January 1966 | Indian National Congress | Lal Bahadur Shastri |
H. C. Dasappa | 1 September 1963 – 27 May 1964 | Indian National Congress | Jawaharlal Nehru / Gulzarilal Nanda (Acting) |
Swaran Singh | 10 April 1962 – 1 September 1963 | Indian National Congress | Jawaharlal Nehru |
Jagjivan Ram | 17 April 1957 – 10 April 1962 | Indian National Congress | Jawaharlal Nehru |
Jagjivan Ram | 7 December 1956 – 17 April 1957 | Indian National Congress | Jawaharlal Nehru |
Lal Bahadur Shastri | 13 May 1952 – 7 December 1956 | Indian National Congress | Jawaharlal Nehru |
N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar | 22 September 1948 – 13 May 1952 | Indian National Congress | Jawaharlal Nehru |
John Mathai | 15 August 1947 – 22 September 1948 | Indian National Congress | Jawaharlal Nehru |
FAQs on Minister of Railways
- Who is the current Minister of Railways in India?
As of 2025, the Minister of Railways is Ashwini Vaishnaw.
- What are the key responsibilities of the Minister of Railways?
The minister is responsible for railway policy-making, train operations, budget planning, station redevelopment, and ensuring passenger safety and comfort.
- What ministry manages Indian Railways?
The Ministry of Railways oversees all aspects of Indian Railways, including freight transport, passenger services, and network expansion across India.
- How is Indian Railways improving passenger experience?
Through initiatives like smart ticketing, Vande Bharat Express trains, station modernization, and real-time train tracking, Indian Railways is enhancing passenger convenience.
- Where can I get official updates from the Ministry of Railways?
You can visit the official website — https://indianrailways.gov.in — for press releases, project details, and the latest announcements.
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