DMK MP Kanimozhi speaking in the Lok Sabha
DMK MP Kanimozhi speaking in the Lok Sabha

Kanimozhi flags disparity between allocation for new lines in northern, southern rlys

The MP said that for new lines, Rs 13,200 crore was allocated for the Northern railway whereas Southern railway is only slated to get Rs 59 crore.

DMK MP Kanimozhi told the Parliament that there is a huge disparity between the amount budgeted for new lines in the Northern and Southern railway. For 2022-23, the MP said that for new lines, Rs 13,200 crore was allocated for the Northern railway whereas Southern railway is only slated to get Rs 59 crore. This pertains specifically to the allocation for new lines, and not the overall budgetary allocation to the zone. 

Kanimozhi said that budget allocations for the last four years for new lines in the southern railway — from 2019-20 onwards — has been Rs 308 crore. For the same period, she said that Northern railway has received Rs 31,008 crore. 

“The gauge conversion project between Tiruchapalli-Thanjavur-Nagore-Karaikkal in Tamil Nadu includes new material modification and much more. The budget allocated for it is only Rs 121 crores, and there are many more projects on the list,” she said in Parliament. 

It is to be noted that other railway zones in the south also did not receive bigger budgetary allocations. South Western Railway has been allocated Rs 323 crore, South Central Railway Rs 285 crore and Southeast Central Railway Rs 20 crore. The MP also added that there are 2.65 lakh job vacancies in the Railways, but said south Indians do not seem to be getting the job opportunities these days and it seems that there is an effort to keep them away.

She demanded that the government clarify how 100% electrification can be achieved by next year if it is 73% at present. With regard to elephant death on railway tracks, she said, the Railway Ministry should look into the matter.

This was during the debate on Demand for Grants 2022-23 for Railway in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, March 15. Opposition members in the Lok Sabha accused the government of indulging in jugglery of railway finances and sought to know whether it intends to privatise the Indian Railways after Air India

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