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Nitish seeks probe into Railway profits

June 29, 2009 16:39 IST
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday urged Railway minister Mamata Banerjee to order a high-level inquiry into alleged "jugglery" of figures in profits between 2005-06 and 2008-09 during her predecessor Lalu Prasad's tenure.

"It's high time that the railway minister ordered a high-level probe into her predecessor's claim of Railways earning huge profits successively during his stint at the Rail Bhavan," Kumar, a former railway minister in the Vajpayee cabinet, said.

"I'm confident that the profits shown by Lalu Prasad after he took charge of the Railway ministry are a farce. The profits have been orchestrated by jugglery of figures at the cost of passengers," Kumar said.

Kumar said the 'Tatkal' scheme of the Railways for advance reservation introduced during Prasad's tenure should also be probed.

It should also be found out why high freight charges were being levied on consignments when the railway minister had announced that there would not be a hike.

He also appealed to Banerjee to speed up pending railway projects in Bihar, including a coach factory at Harnaut in Nawada, construction of a rail-cum-road bridge over river Ganga connecting Digha to Sonepur, besides a river bridge in Munger and another in Supaul.

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