Date:27/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/01/27/stories/2005012700100800.htm

Back Railway revamp

At the seminar on `Public-private partnership in development of rail infrastructure', the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Dr Monetek Singh Ahluwalia, urged the Railways "to raise funds from market" (Business Line, January 25).

If the current legal framework prevents the Railways from borrowing directly, is it not necessary to remove the hurdles? Dr Ahluwalia has suggested a Rail Tariff Authority which could rationalise fares and also take care of cross subsidy.

Rather than shift the responsibility, why not think of overall reforms in the Railways? To start, why not separate the passenger and freight sectors?

This can increase efficiency, solve the problem of cross-subsidy and also help improve the overall performance in transport of goods.

A. Jacob Sahayam,

Thiruvananthapuram

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