The Railways is losing about Rs.7,000 crore owing to uneconomical stops of trains, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Union Minister of State for Railways E. Ahamed said on Saturday.
After inaugurating the new model station building at Ambur station, he cited the CAG's observation in reply to demands made by earlier speakers for halting nearly eight trains at Ambur. A train took 13 minutes to gather speed after stopping at a station for a minute.
Taking serious note of dangerous acts by miscreants in damaging tracks and triggering accidents, he said the Ministry had drawn the attention of the Union Home Ministry and State governments to intensify security measures.
“We are also intensifying internal checks so that no efforts are spared to ensure the safety and security of passengers. Safety of passengers is the paramount consideration of the Railways…,” he stressed.
Food on trains
“Another area in which we have been receiving complaints for quite sometime now is poor quality of catering on trains. …We have now completely reviewed and revised our catering policy. It has been decided to directly take care of all pantry cars and mobile catering by Railways itself so that past deficiencies will not be repeated,” he said.
Referring to development works at Ambur station, he urged officials to complete them early.
“Prices are also going high. Let us work to ensure elimination of delay and speedy implementation of good projects meant for the benefit of people and passengers,” he emphasised.
To the demand for construction of a road over bridge or road under bridge at Ambur, which faced water logging during rain, he said construction of an under bridge would be difficult. The State had to send a proposal for a road over bridge.
Member of Parliament Abdul Rahman, MLA Abdul Basith, Divisional Railway Manager, Chennai Division, Southern Railway, S. Anantharaman, and Municipal Chairman V. Nazeer Ahmed spoke.
