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RAJYA SABHA _________ ∗SYNOPSIS OF DEBATE _________ (Proceedings other than Questions and Answers) _________ Thursday, March 22, 2012/Chaitra 02, 1934 (Saka) _________ REFERENCE BY THE CHAIR International World Water Day MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) recommended in 1992 to celebrate International Water Day. Pursuant to this recommendation, the UN General Assembly designated 22nd March, 1993 as the first World Water Day. Since then, 22nd March is celebrated the world over as International World Water Day. The day intends to focus our attention on the importance of freshwater and promoting the sustainable management of sources of freshwater. The day, this year, aims at drawing attention on the relationship between water and food security. I hope, the whole House will support the concept of preserving freshwater and providing food security. _________ THE BUDGET (RAILWAYS) 2012-13 General Discussion-contd. SHRI SHANTA KUMAR: Indian Railway is the life-line of this country. Railway contributes significantly in the life of a common ___________________________________________________ ∗This Synopsis is not an authoritative record of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. 122 man. Efforts have been made in this year's budget to display some courage. The good decisions submitted before House in the rail budget should be passed. The most disturbing thing in the Railways is that the condition of toilets in the trains is very bad. One has to bear the stink in the toilets. We have not been able to built good toilets in our trains even after 60 years of independence. They have mentioned in the budget about repairing 2500 toilets by the next year. This means we will have to travel with this stink for the next twenty years. It is a basic problem which should be addressed. As regards security, 16000 railway crossings out of the 34000 railway crossings in the country are unmanned. An amount of Rs. 21000 crores only was spent out of the 34000 rupees earmarked for security and large quantity of funds under this head were not spent in the last seven years. No major technology is involved in converting these unmanned crossings into manned crossings rather, it will provide jobs to several people. I want to talk mainly about Himachal Pradesh. In 1921, 163 km. long rail line was laid from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar in Himachal Pradesh for a hydroelectric project. Today, even after 83 years, this particular rail line has not moved even an inch. I was saying that even an inch of rail track has not been laid in Himachal Pradesh. Even 3 Kilometer rail track has not been laid to connect Kalka with Parwanoo which is an industrial city. Himachal Pradesh has sent several proposals with regard to Ghanoni to Baddi, Baddi-Nalagarh, Jagadhari-Dehradun,Una-Dehradun, Bilaspur-Joginder Nagar and Manali-Leh railtrack. I request that Ludhiana Shatabdi should be extended till Pathankot. Himachal Pradesh has requested that Dhauladhaar train should be made daily train. China has laid 20 thousand kilometer rail track between 1990-2007 while India has laid only 960 Kilometer rail track in the same period .China is rapidly creating railway infrastructure along the Indian borders. India has not learnt any lesson from 1962 war. Railway is demanding money to construct Bilaspur-Leh rail line while this rail track is having strategic importance. I request that demands of Himachal Pradesh regarding railway may be met. 123 SHRI NANDI YELLAIAH: I support the Rail Budget. Survey regarding Manoharabad to Kothapalli rail track have been completed and Planning Commission has also cleared the project but work has not yet commenced. There should be time bound work after sanction. Pradhanmantri Rail Vikas Yojna should be introduced in backward areas. Lingampally to Patancheru should be extended to Sangareddy. I thank Railway Minister for announcing 28 new trains for Andhra Pradesh. I request for construction of the New Railway Hospital at Tirupati. People have been demanding that Waltair should be made division and merged with South Central Railway. Project with regard to establishment of Wagon factory at Kazhipet is still pending while it can give employment to thousands of people. I request that it should be started. There should be a halt at Moulali as it will ease congestion on Secunderabad and Bhoiguda stations. A medical and Nursing college was announced in the last Budget. There is no security in trains between Guntur and Vijayawada so there should be some allocation for safety. Public opinion is also in favour of fare increase. South Central Railway is not getting appropriate share in Budget. SHRIMATI GUNDU SUDHARANI: I welcome setting up of a Railway Safety Authority as a statutory regulatory body to focus on tracks, bridges, signalling, etc. I suggest that recommendations of the Authority be made binding. The Minister projects Rs.39,100 for signalling and telecom works in the next five years. But, money given for 2012-13 is just Rs. 2,002 crore. I request the Minister to explain that how he will mobilize resource for remaining amount of thousand of crores in the next five years. I suggest that railway land should be commercially utilized. PPP mode to mobilize resources can be used in case of Tirupati station. I don't know from where he is going to get money for electrification, filling up of vacancies, construction of new stations, doubling of rail tracks and modernsation. I ask how the Minister would complete all these projects. The maintenance of Operating Ratio is the key for the well-being of the Railways. The Budget sets a target of 84.9 per cent and wants to break the record of 74.7 per cent recorded in 1963-64. I ask the hon. Minister as to how he will achieve this, as the people are opposing the fare hike. 124 I request the hon. Minister to roll back the hike which has hit the the common man we also oppose the hike in fares. The South- Central Railway is one of the top three revenue-earning zones for the Railways. But, it has been neglected in the successive Railway Budgets. Allocation to the on-going railway lines in Andhra Pradesh is going down. I fail to understand as to why the Railways are giving step- motherly treatment to Andhra Pradesh. I demand that, at least, Rs.1000 crores be provided to 15 on-going railway line projects. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has proposed 23 trains, but the Minister has announced only six trains. We are not sure that even these would start running in the current year. Secondly, the Minister has announced some of the stations in Andhra Pradesh to be developed as as Aadarsh stations. But, will the hon. Minister please tell us as to what is the fate of already declared Aadarsh stations? The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh had assured that land would be given for a coach factory at Kazipet because in the last Budget, a coach factory was declared. Telangana is a backward region and a coach factory is very much needed. But, there is no mention about the same in this Budget. I do not know why it has not been taken up. So, the Railway Minister should pursue the issue with the State to start the work for setting up a coach factory immediately. Three pit lanes should be added in the Kazipet Junction to cope with heavy traffic. Warangal station requires another entry on the rear side to bring down the pressure on the front side. There is another demand that Kazipet should be made a railway division. I request to increase the staff strength at all the 11 loco sheds at Kazipet. I request for sanction of a periodical overhauling shed at Kazipet.I request the hon. Minister to consider the demand to upgrade Kazipet Railway Hospital to the level of a sub-divisional hospital. I request that a Foot-over-Bridge be immediately sanctioned from the front side of Warangal station. One more ROB is very much required at Shivnagar in Warangal because only one ROB is there and the traffic has grown manifold in the Warangal city. Lift and escalator facility has to be provided at Warangal and Kazipet railway stations for aged and handicapped people. I request the Minister to add one ladies 125 compartment in trains which pass through Warangal for daily female passengers. Railways is asking the States to share 50 per cent of the cost of the project which are already facing financial crunch. SHRI SHREEGOPAL VYAS: Railway Minister has deeply considered over the protection, modernisation, strengthening, capacity augmentation, operating ratio etc. of railways. Kindly reconsider about the high in rail fare in view of the poor people. You have to do something about signal and telecommunication system. As in the accidents, railway signalling is a very important factor. The condition of mobile stock is very bad. You can establish a workshop in Chhattisgarh as power is available throughout day and night there. The Chief Minister has assured you for giving every kind of facility. State Government has given the money for Raoghat Yojna and land is also given to you at many places. You take the approval of Departments Environment and complete it as early as possible. It is very important for the development of Bastar also. Make Ayodhya a model station because the space is very less there and very few trains stop there. Lakhs of tourists visit there. We are thankful to you that you have considered to build a museum at the birth place of Bankim Babu, who is the writer of ‘Vande Matram’. Kindly include Raipur-Dhamtari line in the list of survey for gauge conversion.

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