It is disappointing that there was no mention in the Railway Budget on setting up the Railway Tariff Authority to ensure transparency of both passenger and freight fare fixing, said T Shivaraman, President, Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The chamber welcomed the Railway Minister’s attempt to address core issues regarding revenue augmentation and improving operating ratio.

Modernising the Railways by introducing technology at all levels is a welcome step. Similarly, introducing flexi freight for return freight is an innovative measure.

Giving thrust to port connectivity and modernising logistics with the view to enhancing freight traffic is again a positive step. Diamond quadrilateral for high speed trains and introduction of bullet trains will take Indian Railways to the 21st Century, he said in a statement.

Jawahar Vadivelu, President, Southern India Chamber of Commerce & Industry, welcomed initiatives like using station rooftops to harness solar energy, setting up of a Railway University for technical and non-technical subjects, setting up modern logistic parks, and warehouses for freight storage, which augur well for the sustainable growth of the railways.

Though the Minister has stated that the status of ongoing projects will be available online, the SICCI feels that the Railway Ministry should be cured from the ‘implementation bug’ and must effectively execute the proposals in the budget. An operating ratio of 94 per cent is not healthy and the Government must take steps to progressively reduce the operating ratio, Vadivelu said.

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