Railway unions trash Bibek Debroy panel's recommendations

NEW DELHI: The Bibek Debroy committee's interim report on ways to restructure and modernise the Railways has come in for severe criticism from the both the leading employees unions, All-India Railwaymen Federation (AIRF) and the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR).

NFIR and AIRF have trashed most of the recommendations, including recommendation for allowing private players in freight and passenger operations, formation of a regulatory authority and revamping the Railway Board by bifurcating it.

AIRF has maintained that the system will be destroyed if corporate houses are allowed to run train services as they will charge airlines-like erratic fare only to benefit the business houses.

NFIR has suggested against allowing in FDI and private players in rail infrastructure without building massive network first. It argued that political compulsions and commitments are responsible for slowing down of the railway network and train speeds and not the railway workforce.

AIRF said that without going through the causes of congestion in the existing railway system and suggesting any remedy, the Debroy Committee has gone for setting up of Rail Tariff Regulatory Authority of India, handing over virtual management of railways to new entity, outsourcing of working of train services, encouraging the system of outsourcing of regular works of operation and maintenance of train services, production units, hospitals to different entities.

We have had the saddest experience of formation of the Tariff Regulatory Authority in the Telecommunication, Airport Sectors, which have destroyed the BSNL and Indian Airlines, AIRF General Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra said.

Opposing the Debroy panel's recommendation to bifurcate the Railway Board, Mishra said, "We are rejecting the report of the committee lock, stock and barrel. If the report of the said committee is thrust upon the people of the country, we would be compelled to launch sustained struggle and the responsibility of which shall squarely fall on the Ministry of Railways and Government of India."