New Delhi: In the Union Budget, Rs 13,200 crore has been earmarked for the Northern Railway and just Rs 59 crore for the Southern Railway. On this the DMK Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha கனிமொழி Karunanidhi questioned.
Thoothukudi constituency DMK MP in the debate on the budget கனிமொழி Speaking in the Lok Sabha yesterday, Karunanidhi said, “There is no denying that progress has been made in the railway sector. But much more needs to be done.
Important economic infrastructure is always built by the government. According to an economic study, investing Rs 1 in railways brings in Rs 5. This is a clear advantage of investing public money in railway infrastructure. But, the central government is ignoring the railway sector again and again. The railway sector is funded from three different sources: the budget, the central government and the railways’ own internal funding.
The budget estimate for 2022-23 is Rs 2.45 lakh crore. Last year it was Rs 2.15 lakh crore. The revised estimate does not match the budget estimates. Tasks have been done. But, the funds were not used. In the last three years Financial Activities of Railways Express it. I would like to know the reasons for this. Today we are talking about privatization. Everyone accepts privatization and expresses happiness. Delhi Metro – When the private sector abandoned the work for the airport at the last minute, the railway administration had to take it over and finish it. This is something that can be done privately. So, we have to understand that.
Profit private; Is the railway sector at a loss? The best thing that can happen to the railways is not to think of giving it away to private companies and getting away with it. It has been said that by 2031 all freight trains will be privatized. As well as 30 per cent, i.e. 750 railway stations are said to be privatized. Profitable A.C. Railway compartments are also being privatized. The railways still have second class boxes left. The private sector only invests in well-profitable trains. But, the driver, the card, the line staff all belong to the railway sector.
The railway department also maintains the railway stations. Railway ticket booking is also done by IRCTC. But, Indian Railways only operates loss-making trains. Profitable trains are all privately operated.
Giving everything to the private sector for profit, why do you only take the loss. If the private sector has no responsibility other than profit, abandon the project. You aim to reach 8,400 metric tons of cargo movement by 2030. Today, however, the railways handle only 26 percent of the country’s total freight traffic. Not even 50 percent was handled. There is a huge gap in this. The railways have a large number of vacancies. This was also mentioned by the Union Railway Minister.
There are more than Rs. 2.16 lakh vacancies in the railway sector. The government can provide these jobs to Indian youth. Therefore, vacancies in this field should definitely be filled. South Indians are being systematically denied jobs on the railways. Employees must speak the language spoken by train passengers. An unsafe environment for life is created by employees who do not speak the local language. This should not play with the lives of the passengers.
Consider the interests of the alternatively abled: Dealing with substitutes on trains is an important thing. Requests related to this should be considered. The Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended that facilities be made available for the disabled to have easy access to the railway stations. There are problems in providing them with facilities. Before the corona there was a special box for the replacement. But that box was removed after the corona. Re-create the special box for the disabled and allow them to use it. Although there are special boxes like theirs, others in it travel illegally.
Unfortunately the transferees were not able to use that train box. This issue needs to be addressed. It is highly reprehensible that the Central Government has ordered that there should be no reservation in the 4 per cent job reservation for the disabled, such as IPS and Railway Security Force. It was said that 100 per cent of the railway lines will be electrified by 2023, but you have achieved only 73 per cent of the target. So, what plan do you have to achieve 100 percent electrification?
There are 1368 railway tunnels in the country with water levels. Every year we pump out the water when it stagnates. This needs a permanent solution. Let me give you an example of my volume Thoothukudi. When the water stagnates in Thoothukudi, the sea water comes along. Pumping water is not an easy task. Therefore, a permanent solution is needed to prevent water stagnation in the tunnels during floods. In the last 3 years, 60 elephants have died after being hit by a train. These casualties should be avoided. The Railway Department and the Forest Department should work together to prevent elephant deaths. Even in the CAG report, elephants do not place notices in the area where they cross the tracks.
Drivers need training! The train driver has stated that he was not given training to run the train slowly. At the same rate, there will be no more elephants in the country in the next 10 years. More than 12,000 railway passengers were killed in more than 13,000 train accidents in India last year. According to the latest report of the National Criminal Records Bureau 2021, 32 people die every day. This is so shameful. How much will the members of that family be affected? Something has to be done for this. Accidents also happen at railway crossings. The federal government should take action to prevent such accidents. During the Corona period many trains were stopped and withdrawn. Train stop notices were also withdrawn.
In my constituency, the Thoothukudi-Coimbatore link train, the Thoothukudi-Vanchi Maniyachi, Thoothukudi-Chennai link express did not resume service. This is just an example. Many such trains are parked across the country. There are still many who rely on the train. Therefore, stopped trains must be re-activated. I would like to mention one last thing. I think there is a difference even in train sets operating in North India and South India. In South India train compartments are as bad as water flowing. Thus, passengers suffer. Train sets are also unsafe.
Discrimination in financial allocation: In the budget, only Rs 59 crore has been allocated for the Southern Railway in 2022-23. Rs 13,200 crore has been earmarked for North Indian Railways. In the last 4 years, the budget has allocated more than 101 times more funds for new railways to the Northern Railways than to the Southern Railway. In the last 4 years, only Rs 308 crore has been allocated for new railway projects on the Southern Railway. However, Rs. 31,008 crore has been earmarked for the 17 km stretch between Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi. Only Rs 59 crore has been allocated for the new railway line project. 125 crore for the Madurai-Bodinayakkanur dual carriageway project and Rs. Only Rs 121 crore has been allocated. These are just a few examples.
I make a request to the Minister of Railways on behalf of our representatives here. Looking at the differences between the supply to the Northern Railway and the supply to the Southern Railway, it seems that nothing has been done. You speak of India as one country for all. It should be understood that the railways are like one country. Funding allocations should be increased. Stopped trains, stops should come back into use. People are suffering. Train boxes must be safe. They should be upgraded in the Southern Railway, ”he said கனிமொழி Spoke.
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