Railways asks FM to reconsider safety fund proposal

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) Stepping up efforts to upgradetracks and signalling system for ensuring safe train journey,railways has sent safety fund proposal to Finance Ministryagain for reconsideration. Earlier Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had written aletter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking Rs 1,19,183crore to create a separate safety fund for undertaking varioussafety works, including track works and elimination of levelcrossings by construction of rail overbridge and railunderbridge among others. However, the separate safety fund proposal did not findmuch favour with Finance Ministry and it was sent back torailways with some suggestions. The proposal for creation of Rashtriya Rail SanrakshaKosh (RRSK) of total Rs 1,19,183 crore for safety relatedworks to be operated over next five years has been sent toFinance Ministry for reconsideration, said a senior RailwayMinistry official. The basic thrust in the RRSK proposal is to go for modernsignalling system and elimination of all vulnerable unmannedlevel crossings to prevent accidents. Since majority of accidents happen at unmanned levelcrossings it is essential to eliminate those level crossingsthrough construction of ROB and RUB, said the official. Besides, the renewal of track and bridge is also apriority area for which the fund can be utilised. Since railways has decided to increase the average speedof trains, it is important that rail track and rail bridgesare also strengthened alongwith signalling upgradation. Apart from increasing speed of passenger service,railways has also decided to run freight trains with 25 tonneaxle load for which strengthening of track and rail bridge isessential. PTI ARURG