New Delhi: Presenting the Railway Budget for 2010-11, Union Minister Mamata Banerjee ruled out privatisation of Indian Railways but hinted that a special task force would be set up for early clearance of projects. But she appealed to business houses to join hands for building partnership with Railways.
"Railways will not to be privatised and will remain with the government. While not privatising, Railways have to develop business models for improving earnings," said Banerjee.
She said the Railways 2020 vision document will contain short, medium and long-term goals.
On safety of passengers the minister promised to strengthen the Railway Police Force. But law and order being a state subject, the railways have very few RPF personnel. The minister admitted that today RPF is not enough to protect passengers effectively.
Banerjee said her ministry plans to check increasing number of accidents. Out of 17,000 unmanned crossings, 13,000 will be manned within five years while trains will have new anti-collision devices and better traffic signaling systems will be incorporated along 880 km.
One thousand kms of rail lines will be completed in one year and 117 trains will be flagged off within seven months, she promised.
On social development responsibility, Mamata said Railways would set up two museums - Rabindra museum at Howrah and Geetanjali museum at Bolpur. A new scheme for house for all railway employees will be launched soon with the help of Urban Development ministry.
Also, the Railways will set up 50 creches for the children of 80,000 women railway employees, she further said.
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