No plan to privatise Mumbai locals: Railway Ministry

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Jun 7 (UNI) The Railway Ministry today denied media reports that it had approved a scheme to invite private players to own and operate local trains in Mumbai, saying there was no such plan.

''It is clarified that there is no plan to privatise the operation of commuter passenger trains (in Mumbai), the ministry said in a statement here.

Media reports had said that the Railway Ministry had given Western Railway the green signal to invite private players to own and operate an air-conditioned local train in Mumbai.

The reports had further said that the train, to be run in partnership with comnpanies which will own, maintain and operate it, would be introduced on a pilot basis on the 32-km Churchgate-Borivili section.

''The Railway Board had cleared the proposal. If things work to plan, the AC shuttle could be a reality by early next year,'' according to the reports.

The ministry, however, said there was absolutely no plan for allowing private players to run local trains in Mumbai, the lifeline of the western metropolis.

There were some indications that in the Railway Budget 2007-08, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad would announce introduction of air-conditioned local trains in Mumbai. However, the idea had to be shelved because it was commercially not found viable.

The ministry had earlier this year privatised container train operations, but Mr Prasad has repeatedly asserted that operation of passenger trains would not be privatised as it is the core operation of the Railways.

''Privatisation will be allowed only in non-core activities like modernisation of stations, construction of budget hotels on railway land and passenger amenities,'' the minister has said.

UNI

For Daily Alerts
Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
X