Railways allocation up for passenger amenities: Velu

Chennai, Jun 16 (UNI) The Railway Ministry has allocated Rs 353 crore for augmenting passenger amenities during the current year as against Rs 222 crore last year, Minister of state for Railways R Velu today said.

Participating in the inauguration of the new entrance and escalator facility costing Rs six crore at the Egmore Railway Station here, Mr Velu said the Southern Railway will get Rs 26 crore for augmenting the amenities with the possibility of additional Rs 14 crore being granted by the Ministry.

He said the escalator facility was the second in the country after New Delhi.

After the UPA Government assumed office, it sanctioned 104 new railway over bridges (ROBs) of which 40 were meant for the Southern Railway. Tamil Nadu got the lion share of 33 ROBs, of which ten had already been completed, he said.

Despite facing several hardships, the Indian Railway hoped to earn a profit of Rs 17,000 crore and were taking steps to increase it to Rs 20,000 crore.

Despite facing huge financial burden of Rs 440 crore due to the hike in diesel prices and other expenditure, the Ministry had decided not to burden the common people by increasing the fares.

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