Suresh Prabhu unconvinced state can run its railways

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurates 17 facilities from Yogi Sabagruha Hall in Dadar on Monday. (Photo: Rajesh Jadhav)

Expressing his reservations about the state’s ability to operate single-handedly an important asset such as the Mumbai suburban rail transport, Union minister for railways Suresh Prabhu on Monday suggested the solution was to work in tandem.

Though he implied it would be a long haul for the local governments to acquire complete control, for the first time Mr Prabhu suggested explicitly a more active role for the state or civic body in suburban rail operations.

Mr Prabhu’s comment assumes significance amid strong consensus among railway officials that intercity transport should be a state subject.

Speaking at a function to inaugurate a plethora of facilities for railways, Mr Prabhu said that although the city transport system should ideally be run by its municipal corporation, — in this case Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) — it was ill-equipped to assume the responsibility immediately and the railways would work together with it to get the task accomplished. “There is a thought that the local government should be running and operating its transport system, but do the BMC or state have the capacity ” asked Mr Prabhu.

Hitherto, the minister had always encouraged the state to actively aid bodies governed by them, such as the BMC, the Thane Municipal Corporation, the Kalyan Dombivali Muncipal Corporation, among others.

However, this time the minister made it apparent that what could not be achieved in the last 15 odd years, would not be possible in 15 days. “We cannot ask the local governments to take over the city railways in 15 days; so the solution is to work together with them. In many cities, intercity transport is a state activity, especially, the respective municipal corporations are expected to handle it. However, to equip them fully to do so will take time and till then, we have to work together,” said the minister.

Mr Prabhu also added that inputs from both railways and the state for staggering work times during peak hours was being reviewed.