Bathinda, August 16
The Union Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, while announcing that the Centre would bring a supplementary budget in the coming winter session to arrange funds for various safety measures and construction of railway overbridges (ROB) and underbridges (RUB) said the Railway authorities had started exploring non-traditional sources to enhance its income to meet its liabilities.

He was addressing a press conference here today after flagging off the first Shatabdi Express train of the Malwa region to New Delhi from the local railway station along with the Chief Minister, Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh, Union Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, and Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, Mr Bhan Singh Bhora, Mrs Parneet Kaur and Mrs Gurcharan Kaur (all MPs).

Mr Nitish Kumar said the Railway authorities would not revise the passenger fare but use its vacant land and other prominent spots on railway stations for advertising to generate revenue to meet all the liabilities for taking safety measures as per the Justice Khanna report.

New passenger trains and special time-bound parcel trains would be introduced and freight load increased to generate more revenue, he added.

Mr Jagmeet Brar, MP, Faridkot, did not participate in the function as he said that he had not been invited. He added that Rail Bhavan had “cheated” with the people of Faridkot and Ferozepore districts by not extending the Shatabdi to Ferozepore despite the fact that Mr Nitish Kumar had made a promise to that effect.

However, Mr Nitish Kumar pointed out that to compensate the residents of Faridkot and Ferozepore districts, the Inter-city Express running between Bathinda and New Delhi daily would be extended to Ferozepore. He added that the Shatabdi would run for six days a week instead of five days as planned earlier. To increase the speed of the Shatabdi Express, the track renewal project had been sanctioned.

He said that there would be no shortage of funds for executing the Railway projects in Punjab as desired by the state government.

The Railways would contribute its share of funds for the ROBs and RUBs on those level crossings where the density of daily vehicle units (DVUs) was more than one lakh.

The Railway authorities have authorities have been stressing for new diesel locomotives of 4,000 horsepower for a faster mode of transportation instead of stressing on electrification of the rail track.

About the protest of the Trinamool Congress chief, Ms Mamata Banerjee, regarding the bifurcation of the Eastern Railway, the Railway Minister said there was no politics involved in the reorganisation of railway zones. He added that the setting up of seven new zones for better efficiency, which would become operational by April next year, had been approved by the United Front government in 1996 and the NDA government in 1998.

Capt Amarinder Singh while addressing the gathering pointed out that it was due to the rail network that real integration came to the country. He demanded that more trains should be introduced in the border areas of Punjab for its economic development. He added that the Public Works Minister, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, would meet the Railway Minister on August 19 to discuss the problems of the state.

Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president, Akali Dal (Amritsar), demanded that the Shatabdi should be extended to Ferozepore. He said that all MPs of Punjab, numbering 26, should meet the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, for expediting the implementation of the defence university project at Anandpur Sahib. Mrs Gurcharan Kaur demanded that the train should be extended to Ferozepore while Mr Bhora demanded that all modern facilities should be given at the local junction.