Kerala, TN MPs squabble over Salem division, cause 5 min adjournment

New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) Members from Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha squabbled today over the bifurcation of the Palakkad railway division, forcing its adjournment for five minutes during Question Hour.

Minister of State for Railways R Velu however said the proposed Salem division in Tamil Nadu, forked out of Palakkad Division in Kerela, would become operational by February next year.

Tempers ran high when Mr Tiruchy Shiva (DMK) shot a supplementary, seeking information on the exact date for a fuunction that would mark the inauguration of Salem Division.

This triggered strong protests from the UNPA and Left members, who created a massive ruckus. CPM member Brinda Karat and Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh also joined the chorus of protests from the UNPA members, but nothing could be heard in the melee.

The repeated pleas by Chairman Hamid Ansari to the agitated members to go back to their seats failed to have the desired impact, forcing him to adjourn the House for five minutes.

When the House reassembled at 1150 hrs, Mr Velu said the formation of Salem Division was announced in the Railway Budget 2005-06 while an amount of Rs 20 crore was sanctioned for it during the 2006-07 budget.

The minister said out of this amount, Rs three crore had already been earmarked and Rs 1.5 crore spent so far in this connection.

''A building has been constructed to operate the new division, and it will become operational from February,'' he said.

Mr Velu clarified that no date had been fixed for inaugurating the new division at a formal function. He also said the issue had figured in the Lok Sabha.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad had earlier given a call to the Chief Ministers of both the contending states to attend a joint meeting to amicably resolve the issue.

Kerala has objected to the creation of a new Salem division in Tamil Nadu by taking a major portion of the existing Palakkad division.

The proposed Salem division is to comprise 623 route kms from the Palakkad division, 135 rkms from Tiruchirapalli and 85 rkms of new line.

After the proposed bifurcation, Palakkad divison will be left with 509 kms of existing line and 36 rkms of new line under construction.

UNI