Jalna, Mar 12 : Minister of State for Railways, Raosaheb Danve announced on Saturday that the electrification work of broad gauge railways across the country will be completed by December 2023. Speaking at inaugural function of 357-km-long electrification of railway line from Manmad to Mudkhed at Jalna railway station completed at cost of Rs 484 crore, he said that emphasis was being laid on electrification of railways as it would reduce fuel consumption, traffic congestion and improve the average speed of trains. About 73 per cent of the railway electrification work on broad gauge lines across the country has been completed, he informed. The electrification work of 1,440 km of broad gauge lines is being completed every year, the Minister said and pointed that in this year’s budget a fund of Rs 7,000 crore has been sanctioned for electrification work of 6,000 km railway line. The DPR for the Mumbai-Nagpur bullet train will be ready in the coming months, he said. Upon completion of this train project, it will be possible to cover the distance from Mumbai to Aurangabad in just one-and-a-half-hour, he added. VKB SS 2117