Bibek Debroy panel recommendations detrimental to railway passengers, PMK leader says

CHENNAI: PMK leader S Ramadoss on Friday opposed the Bibek Debroy panel’s recommendation that the government permit private players to operate railways.
In a statement, Ramadoss said though there were a few welcome suggestions, the panel report at large is favouring privatization of railways and is detrimental to the passengers.
“The committee has suggested that private firms be permitted to operate passenger and goods trains and that private companies and the government competitively operate railways.It may appear to be a welcome suggestion and that the private companies may provide better service in terms of cleanliness and time keeping. However, in reality it is a scheme to destroy the railway’s profile as a public service industry,” Ramadoss said in statement.
He said the PMK was also opposing the suggestion that private railway companies be permitted to determine fares by themselves.
Terming it as an open invitation to private companies to exploit the passengers, he said: “If these recommendations are implemented, train journey will become a distant dream for the common man and become an exclusive privilege of the rich.”
If private companies were permitted to operate railways and fix fares, it would hamper tourism, he said.
Comparing the operations of government bus transports which are making losses while private buses run profitably, Ramadoss said that the same would happen to railways. “While the private railway companies will make profit, government railways will register losses,” he said.
“Private companies will prefer to transport commercial commodities like coal and steel and will be reluctant to transport food grains. This will lead to scarcity of food grains in the market,” he pointed out.
When goods transport becomes costlier, it would lead to a rise in the prices of essential commodities.
The PMK leader also opposed the suggestion that railways be bifurcated so that one division could manage operations and another division could manage schools, warehouses, security and other services. “The committee’s recommendations is that railways need not run schools and hospitals for the employees and may outsource these services. This is an effort to take away the right of the railway employees to get education and health care,” he added.
He alleged that the panel’s report considered only profit of the railways and not people’s welfare.
However, he welcomed the suggestion that zonal and divisional managers be empowered to take decisions without referring to the railway board.
Ramadoss said, “This will enable the divisional managers to plan and execute necessary schemes at the regional level saving time and cumbersome procedures. It will also change the present situation where more money is spent to on states like Bihar where railway always make losses”.
“The government should execute only a few welcome suggestions in the report and reject all other recommendations that are detrimental to the welfare of passengers,” he added.