Allow Railways to use surplus money for its development: Acharia

Bangalore, Aug 19 (UNI) Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Railways Basudeb Acharia demanded the Centre allow Railways to use surplus money it had earned for its development.

Speaking at a meeting with the members of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry here last night, he said the Centre was not providing any budgetary support to railways and the expansion of railway network in the country was ''very disappointing.'' ''Before Independence, there was 51,000 km of railway line in India during the last 60 years we have added only 11,000 km of new tracks, while China had added over 64,000 km of new track during the last 50 years. This reflects the sad state of development in railways. If the government cannot provide funds, let it allow the railways to use the surplus it has earned to upgrade and expand its network. The present growth of 100 to 130 km of new track added every year was too little,'' he urged.

Mr Acharia said the budgetary support to railways had dropped from 75 per cent during the first five year plan to a mere 24 per cent in the tenth plan.

''The government is spending Rs 60,000 crore for construction of expressways. Why can't it spend at least Rs 25,000 crore for expansion of the railway network,'' he sought to know.

He said the speed of trains remained very slow. While it was 24 km ph in case of goods trains, it was only 36 kmph for passenger trains.

''Even an increase of ten km would bring great benefits. This could be possible only through modernising the system,'' he said.

He said to complete the pending projects, the railways needed Rs 45,000 crore and demanded the Centre to provide a one-time grant to complete the projects.

Mr Acharya said the 9-10 per cent GDP growth was not improving the standard of living of the poor.

UNI