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`PM can overrule decision on rly. bifurcation'

By Our Special Correspondent

PATNA JULY 8. The Railway Minister, Nitish Kumar, today said that the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Union Cabinet could overrule the decision to bifurcate the Eastern Zone and create an East Central Zone, with headquarters in Hajipur.

Mr. Kumar, who is on a two-day visit to Bihar, said that the Prime Minister was vested with the prerogative to reverse any decision. Mr. Kumar's observation gains significance in the light of the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani's proposed meeting with Mr. Vajpayee after the West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's representation for a reconsideration of the decision. Mr. Kumar made it clear that he could not go back on the decision as he had no authority to do so and stressed that he had merely been implementing the decisions taken by the Union Cabinet earlier, which he justified on administrative and technical grounds.

Declining to get involved in the political tug of war, he said that he was ready for a debate over the necessity to create more zones. Smaller zones, he said, would usher in efficiency and any profit or loss would be that of the Railways alone and would not affect any State. He pointed out that there had been no protests from among the railway employees on the decision and added that it was the responsibility of the respective State Government to combat any outside movement and ensure the smooth running of the trains. Mr. Kumar did not agree with the observation of the Comptroller and Auditor General that the creation of new zones would be a drain on the exchequer. The burden would be in the range of Rs. 450 to 500 crores for setting up the seven proposed zones within three to six years.

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