Bengaluru: Drawing a comparison between the railway systems of India and China, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Saturday said not enough investment has been made in the railways in the country in the last 40 years.
"Railways are the backbone of India's economy and therefore we have decided to launch a major programme to revamp the railway network. In the last thirty, forty years we have not invested enough into the railways...." Prabhu said.
Mentioning about a study published recently, he said, "in 1990 China's railway network was smaller or equal to India. In the last 25 years China has overtaken India significantly."
China's growth as economic power, as one among the largest exporters and manufacturers of the world, has been possible due to its strong railways network facilitated by the country's investment in the sector, he added.
Noting steps taken by him to make railways commercially viable, Prabhu said
"...I'am very sure we can add two to three percent to India's GDP only by making railways work proper."
"We cannot make railways work proper unless we make investment in the railways...," he added.
The central government had earlier said Rs 8.5 lakh crore will be invested in Railways over a period of five years.
Prabhu was speaking after inaugurating a new station building here, built at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore and various other railway projects elsewhere.
The Railway Minister also inaugurated new station building at Krishnarajapuram near here constructed at a cost of Rs 1.62 crore, staff quarters at Hubballi and foot over bridges in Koppal district in the presence of Union Ministers Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar and others.
Highlighting that the aim was to provide good customer service and security to passengers, Prabu mentioned about initiatives taken to improve the quality of food and linen in railways.
Speaking on demand for suburban train service for Bengaluru like Mumbai, he said "I can definitely tell you with confidence that we will be willing to partner with the state government to realise this....."
Responding to question from the press on the matter, Prabhu said, "on suburban railways state government as well as the central government - my own ministry, urban development ministry, finance ministry, NITI Ayog- we will all work together and find a solution."
On a proposed time frame for this, he said "as early as possible."
