BUOYANCY IN RAILWAY PERFORMANCE
INDICATIVE OF HEALTH OF NATIONAL ECONOMY SAYS RAILWAY MINISTER
PARLIAMENTARY
CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF RAILWAY
MEETS
The Union Minister
of Railways, Shri Nitish Kumar has said that buoyancy in the performance
of Railways during the first two months of the current financial
year ending May 2003 indicated health of national economy. Addressing
a meeting of Consultative Committee of Members of Parliament attached
to his Ministry here today, Shri Kumar said that Railways transported
1.79 Million Tonnes (MTs) more freight in excess of the target
of 87.06 Million Tonnes, which was 6.21 MTs more than the corresponding
period of the last year. Besides, the operating ratio of Railways,
which was 94.4 per cent in the beginning of 2002-03, came down
to 92.3 per cent as against the revised target of 92.5 per cent
at the end of the last financial year. The Minister was happy
to inform the Members that the Railways also saved a sum of Rs.625
crores in its overall expenditure during the year.
Talking of implementation
of introduction of 50 new trains, extension of 24 trains and increase
in the frequencies of thirteen trains during the current financial
year 2003-04 as announced in this year’s Railway Budget, the Railway
Minister said till now seven new trains have been introduced,
fourteen trains extended and frequency of eight trains increased.
The Minister also informed the Members, that the National Rail
Project linking Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah had gathered
momentum and was to be commissioned on time as announced by The
Prime Minister. He said that the first train on that route would
be introduced on Indepence Day of 2007.
The Minister exuded
confidence that Internet facility set up by RailTel Corporation
at new Delhi station would be extended to other stations in a
phased manner. He also informed the members that a National Trains
Running Enquiring System was being readied for operation shortly
as a hallmark of better passenger satisfaction.
The members stood
in silence for two minutes to condole the death of passengers
near Warrangal train accident on July 2, 2003. This prompted the
Members to voice their concern over train accidents
which eroded the confidence of the rail users on the one hand
and caused loss of public credibility of the railway system. Responding
to the Members’ demands for taking comprehensive measures to improve
safety of rail services, the Minsiter said that three major components
of Railways, such as, engineering, mechanical and electricial
departments would be liable for accidents in their areas besides
frontline staff for human asset failure. In this connection, the
Minister mentioned that for yesterday’s train accident near Warangal,
six officials from these Departments were placed under suspension
pending the findings of the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern
Circle. The Minister assured the Members that there was no let
up in safety standards and no stone was left unturned. In fact,
he said, safety received top priority in all aspects of Indian
Railways.
The Minister
of State for Railways Shri Bandaru Dattatraya and Chairman, Shri
R.K. Singh, who had visited the site of accident yesterday, gave
an account of rescue and relief measures. The Members demanded
enhanced ex-gratia payment that the Railway Minister has been
announcing of late for the next of the kin of the dead and those
injured grievously and with simple injury. The Minister of State
for Railways Shri A.K. Moorthy was also present on the occasion.
In today’s meeting
the Special topic for discussion was Claims Cases. The Members
discussed at length all aspects of claims cases, procedural wrangle
and delay in disbursal of compensation to the victims of accidents
on the one hand and for loss of luggage, parcel and other consignent
to the consignee on the other. They discussed measures for simplification
of the procedure for expeditious payment of claims to the rail
users so that the public credibility of Indian Railways was maintained.
The Railway Minister assured them of the government’s resolve
to simplify further the procedure for compensation cases, expeditious
disposal of claims cases at various fora including Railway Claims
Tribunals to mitigate the grievances of rail users.
The members also
discussed measures for improving rail services including punctuality,
safety, introduction of new trains, halts and expeditious completion
of various projects.
The Members who took
part in the meeting were S/Shri Laxman Giluwa,Gidhari Lal Bhargava,
A. Narendra, Prakash Mani Tripathi, Amar Roy Pradhan, Ram Prasad
Singh, Ajay Chakraborty, C. Suresh Reddy, Prakash Ambedkar, V.M.
Sudheeran, Shriprakash Jaiswal, Vilas Muttemwar, Basudeb Acharia,
Denzil B. Atkinson, Dr.Prasanna Kr. Patasani - all from the Lok
Sabha and Shri Monmohan Samal and Ms. Mabel Rebello both from
the Rajya Sabha.
