TIA Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: The railway minister, Mamata Banerjee has demanded Rs 100,000 crore from the government fund for completing all the pending projects of the railways.
Speaking at the Economic Editors’ Conference-2010 here on Wednesday, the railway minister said : “I have asked the Prime Minister for Rs 100,000 core for completing all our pending projects.”
She said that many projects of the railways were pending completion and there were cost overruns. Indian Railways were facing the adverse impact of the global financial crisis, price rise and deterioration of law and order situation, she said.
The Indian Railways have incurred a revenue loss of about Rs 1,500 crore over the past three years for the situation beyond its control, Ms Bannerjee said.
The railway minister said that 1.20 lakh hectare land of the railways have been placed for commercial use for mobilizing resources.
She informed that anti-collision devices would be put in place soon to prevent accidents. The double decker train service from Howrah to Dhanbad will be operational within few days.