GCCI evokes mixed feeling on rail budget

Ahmedabad, Feb 26 (UNI) The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce&Industry (GCCI) today welcomed the Railway Budget 2007-08 with mixed feelings.

The proposal to run triple stack container trains, creating 20,000 km of high density rail network, introduction of new wagons with a load carrying capacity of 15-25 metric tonnes would boost cargo movement and augment exports, Mr Pankaj R Patel, GCCI President said in a statement here.

Mr Patel praised the railways for Rs 20,000 crore profit and welcomed the 17 per cent rise in freight earnings and 14 per cent in passenger traffic achieved during the first three quarters of current financial year through increased freight and passenger movement.

He, however, expressed fears that the present century-old fragile rail infrastructure may not be able to sustain the extra load and therefore measures were needed to augment these facilities instead of adding to the pressure.

He also hoped that the oil companies would pass on the benefit of reduction in freight rates in petrol and diesel to the consumers which would end up in easing the high inflationary trends being witnessed currently in the country.

Mr Patel lamented the fact that once again Gujarat has received inadequate attention in the current budget. Of the gauge conversion projects from metre gauge to broad gauge, the state has been allotted only one project on the Ahmedabad-Udaipur section.

Similar is the case with allotment of new trains. Out of the 32 trains introduced, only one Garib Rath between Jaipur and Bandra passing through Gujarat has been allotted.

There is no mention of any extension of routes for the existing trains originating from Gujarat, he said.

UNI