AAP's Sandeep Pathak criticizes BJP for 'failing' to transform Railways despite having "golden opportunity"

New Delhi [India], March 11 : Aam Aadmi Party MP Sandeep Pathak strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging that it has 'failed' to capitalize and transform the Railways, despite the golden opportunity presented through the Railways Amendment Bill.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Rajya Sabha MP said that the core idea of this bill is to make the Railway Board more flexible so that it can function more efficiently in management. However, he argued that the central government missed a golden opportunity to completely revamp railway management through this amendment, a press release stated.
"With revenues drying up and expenditures soaring, the sector is in dire straits," Pathak said. "Weak rail tracks across the country pose a safety threat, yet urgent replacements remain neglected. The erosion of a dedicated railway budget has further stifled crucial discussions, leaving India's rail network on a dangerous trajectory."
"I was listening to my colleagues from the ruling party, and they kept repeating the same points. If they had raised the right issues, the minister would have found it much easier to address the concerns. We should be discussing what changes can be made in the railways to benefit the system--this should be our agenda. The direct and indirect contributions of railways to our country's economy and society cannot be measured merely in numbers," he added.
The AAP Rajya Sabha MP further pointed out that the Railway Minister mentioned railways only three times in his speech.
"There was a time when a separate budget session was dedicated to railways, allowing for detailed discussions. Railways serve as the economic and social lifeline of the country. Today, the sector faces multiple challenges, including high operational costs. To fix this, we need heavy investment in technology. The government must focus on capacity building and increase internal resources to sustain the railways in the long run," he added.
Pathak also highlighted the declining trend in internal revenue generation for railways over the decades.
"Any department operates on two basic principles--earning money and spending money. Anyone can spend, but generating revenue is the real challenge. The key issue is how much money railways earn and the profit it makes. Currently, 70 per cent of the railways' earnings are being spent solely on salaries and pensions.
Questioning the Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the AAP Rajya Sabha MP asked, "Are we utilizing this massive workforce efficiently? If internal revenue generation does not improve, we may soon struggle to pay salaries and will be forced to take loans. While board-level changes are happening, the fundamental reforms that railways require are being ignored."
"The ticketing process may have improved, but passengers are still struggling to get confirmed tickets. Railways have minimal earnings, but the expenditure is massive. If the system isn't making money, how will it sustain itself? The government must prioritize revenue generation to ensure there are sufficient funds for operations and development," he stated.
Criticizing the government's track record on railway safety, Pathak said, "Under this government's tenure, more than 650 railway accidents have occurred, resulting in over one lakh deaths. Instead of engaging in meaningless debates, the government should focus on preventing railway accidents. There is talk of the 'Kavach' safety system, but so far, it has been installed in only 2 per cent of trains. At this rate, it will take 50 to 100 years to implement it fully."
The AAP MP asserted, "On one hand, the government talks about Vande Bharat trains, but on the other, it is reducing their speed because the aging railway tracks cannot withstand higher speeds, increasing derailment risks. The country urgently needs new railway lines and doubling of tracks, but even the existing tracks require replacement. The government does not have the funds to upgrade the tracks."
"We support this amendment bill and will contribute whatever we can, but a complete overhaul of railway management is necessary. Railway accidents have increased significantly--who will take responsibility? Instead of penalizing officers, the political authorities who wield power must be held accountable," he concluded.