China’s Railway Investment is 22.5 Times That of India’s: Prabu
Investment and new technology in the Indian Railways is the need of the hour, says Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu.
advertisement
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Tuesday said that the need of the hour in the public transporter is massive investment and new technology, without which the Indian Railways will not go any further.
“There is a need for investment in railways. In China the investment on railways is about Rs 9 to 10 lakh crore whereas here Rs 40,000 crore a year,” Prabhu said after inaugurating the Late Comrade Umraomal Purohit Memorial Research Centre.
He said railways is losing traffic because of the lack of investment.
“As a result rail traffic was going to other sectors. So we decided for investment in railways and investment will go up in the coming years.”
Comparing Indian Railways with Amtrak, a US railroad service, Prabhu said, citing a report, that Amtrak was derailed because of the lack of investment.
“We should learn from Amtrak. They did not invest in it so it’s future is doomed.”
The research centre concerning with trade union movement and related issues, was opertionalised at the All-India Railwaymen’s Federation office.
Thanking AIRF for the initiative, Prabhu said “Railway unions are for railway interest only. Today the research centre is meant for study on rail related development.”
On the role railway employees, Prabhu said “Railways run on two wheels. One is management another is employees. If any of these two wheels do not function then it will not be possible for railways to run properly.”
He also said that “customer service should be improved.”
Appealing to unions, Prabhu said “We should join hands together for the development of railways. No obstacles will be tolerated in the path of rail improvement. We will improve railways by working together.”