Lalji Tandon (BJP) highlighted several faults in the services of the railways and said no assessment is made about the implementation of announcements made in Parliament.
Opposition parties today slammed the Railways in the Lok Sabha, alleging that it had failed to implement schemes announced in Parliament, check accidents and delays in projects.
Lalji Tandon (BJP) highlighted several faults in the services of the Railways and said no assessment is made about the implementation of announcements made in Parliament.
Participating in a discussion on Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways), he said many schemes are not implemented at all and suggested time-frame on all announcements to ensure their implementation.
"Over the last 10 years, several announcements have been made but there is no assessment as to what happened to them," he said, adding if promises made in Parliament are not implemented, there should be punishment. He faulted Railway services in terms of timing, cleanliness and provision of proper and clean food and said there is no mechanism to assess whether the announcements made in Parliament have been implemented or not.
Citing the example of 'Duranto' train announced for Lucknow in July, Tandon said an impression had been created that it would be a non-stop train. However, it turned out that "duplicate" Lucknow Mail had been converted into Duranto.
He also raised questions over implementation of programmes under 5-year plans, wondering whether any effort is made to assess if the targets are met.Expressing concern over unmanned railway crossings, Tandon said these dated back to 19th century and no new system has been put in place. He alleged that the Railways were afflicted with the malaise of 'tender mafia' and authorities were saying they are helpless.
Referring to security, Tandon said railway property not only faces terror threat but trains are burnt and hijacked. He suggested merger of Government Reserve Police and Railway Protection Force to create a single force under direct control of the railway ministry.
As he was finding faults in the performance of railways, minister Mamata Banerjee went out of the House. Seeing this, Tandon quipped, "When I am saying these things, the Minister is staging a walk-out."
Arjun Charan Sethi, who was in the Chair, said she was not walking out and would be back soon. Banerjee soon came back with some papers. Ram Chandra Dome (CPI-M) opposed the supplementary demand, alleging that the railways was moving towards privatisation with Public-Private Partnerships in projects and building of shopping malls despite having enough resources.
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