New Delhi, March 15
The Railways is gearing up to compete with the Chinese railways, a benchmark set up to improve its efficiency.
Without increasing passenger or freight fare, it has succeeded in improving its earnings by 8 per cent this year and share in total freight, said Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav today in the Lok Sabha while replying to the debate on the Railway Budget.
He announced sops for Kerala and outsourcing of train enquiry service to telecom companies amid boycott by the Opposition benches. Later, the Lok Sabha passed the Railway Budget 2005-06 and the Appropriation Bill. The Railway Minister assured the House that resources would be raised to implement all projects despite no hike in passenger fares and freight rates.
He said 50 per cent concession proposed in the Budget for carrying bodies would be raised to 100 per cent and the Railways would levy no charges in this regard.
The 2625 and 2626 Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram Kerala Express will not be extended up to Chandigarh. However, to meet the demands of the people of Punjab and Haryana, the proposed Kerala Sampark Kranti Express would be extended up to Chandigarh, he said.
Over 180 members participated in the debate.
Among the concessions announced for Kerala included introduction of a weekly train between Ernakulam and Bangalore. The bi-weekly
Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalore-Maveli
Express will now operate thrice a week. The Quilon-Punulur gauge conversion work will be completed in 2005-06.
An additional 50 km of doubling work will be undertaken on the Ernakulam-Kottayam section.
The minister also announced the sanctioning of five more rail overbridges for Kerala in addition to the 52, work on which was in progress, besides a new train between Kanpur and Mumbai.
The Railway Minister announced the involvement of private call centres for providing services such as train enquiries.
Part of the funds required for projects would be met through the Rs 8,857 crore budgetary support.
Sufficient funds would be ensured for ongoing projects in Jammu and Kashmir, he added.
