Lok Sabha takes up discussion on Railway Budget

New Delhi, Mar 8 (UNI) The Lok Sabha today took up the discussion on the Railway Budget, 2007-08, after it was introduced in the House by Minister of State for Railways R Velu.

Initiating the discussion, Tomar Chand Gehlot (BJP) accused the Governemnt of increasing railway fare ''through the backdoor''.

Nearly hundred ordinary trains were just renamed as superfast trains and in the process fares were increased, without providing any extra facilities like increasing the speed or reducing the number of stoppages, he added.

He said another area from where the Railways were minting money was the Tatkal reservation scheme under which passengers were charged Rs 150 extra per ticket.

Mr Gehlot said there was a lot of scope for increasing the speed of goods trains which were presently running at an average speed of around 25 kmph. ''If we continue to run at this speed, the number of goods trains can never be increased,'' he added.

He also accused the Railway Minister of not treating all states equally and paying more attention towards facilities in and around Bihar and Tamil Nadu.

More than 10,000 posts were laying vacant in the Railway Protection Force (RPF), which was entrusted with the task of taking care of the safety of the passengers and protecting railway property, he added.

There were nearly 18,000 unmanned level crossings where maximum number of accidents took place, the member pointed out adding guards were required at these places but the Railway budget did not make any attempt to take care of the situation.

Mr Anil Basu (CPIM) said Railway Minister Lalu Prasad should have been in the House when the discussion was underway.

He said in 1972 the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi laid the foundation stone for the Howrah-Chapadanga section railway line in West Bengal. But till date it had been completed only up to Bargasia. The work had stopped there and the Ministry should find out the reason behind it.

Mr Basu said there was also a strong need for the upgradation of the Dankuni railway station in the Howrah-Burdwan section in view of the setting up of an industrial township and coming up of new industrial units in the area.

He also stressed on the need to set up a statutory Railway Safety Commission which should function like the Election Commission.

Earlier, L Rajagopal (Cong) also spoke supporting the Railway budget.

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