Railways Prefers To Chug Along The Social Obligation Route

After having decided to confront the Rakesh Mohan committee report on revamping the Railways, the ministry is working on an alternative plan. The ministry has decided to defer the finalisation of the Tenth Plan working group report on the Railways as that document is likely to incorporate the alternative to the model prepared by the adviser to the finance minister, Rakesh Mohan. The railways minister Nitish Kumar is meeting the deputy chairman of Planning Commission, KC Pant, tomorrow to give a final shape to the alternative formulation.

While the alternative proposal has ruled out any corporatisation of the core working areas of the Indian Railways, the ministry has apparently decided to accept the proposal for an independent Indian Rail Regulatory Authority. The Rakesh Mohan report had suggested trifurcating the Railways into a three-way division, comprising a body to frame policies, a corporation to run the business and an independent regulatory authority.

Instead, the alternative being worked out by the ministry will reaffirm the social obligation of the Railways as a public service entity to provide a cheap means of long-distance transport to passengers as well as underline its function transporting bulk goods and essential commodities during critical times, against the Rakesh Mohan