Rail Budget debate in Rajya Sabha: Members want safety, amenities

NEW DELHI: Members from various parties today voiced concern in Rajya Sabha over various aspects concerning the railways, particularly safety and security and lack of facilities and timeliness and asked the government to rectify it.

These issues were raised by members while participating in a debate on Rail Budget during which Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu also came in for praise for "withstanding the pressures of populism."

Pressing for professional and profitable functioning of the Indian Railways, K N Balagopal CPI(M) said the Accounting System must be revamped.

He urged the railways to improve security for the protection of women in trains.

Opposing PPP model in railway netowrk, he said, "It is public for private benefit."

Rajpal Singh Saini (BSP) and A N Swamy (Independent) raised concerns about poor amenities of railways.

NCP leader and former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel complimented Prabhu saying he was known as a "no-nonsense" minister even in his earlier stint as a Union Minister.

Showering praise, Patel said he had not seen a budget which had withstood the pressures of populism.

The NCP leader expressed concern at the "alarming" fiscal health situation of the railways and suggested improving the last mile connectivity in evacuation of coal as Railways can play a huge role in improving power production.

Patel also emphasised on having multi-modal connectivity in Indian cities linking Airport, railways and metros.

"Though unfortunately this has not happened till now, if our cities have to become smart cities, this has to be accomplished," Patel said.

Noting that China had built a vast rail network all across Tibet, he said India too should look at expanding its rail network.