Mamata meets Fin Min, presses for additional rail safety funds

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee during which she is understood to have pressed for additional allocation for the railway safety fund.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee during which she is understood to have pressed for additional allocation for the railway safety fund.

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There has been a spate of railway accidents recently and the railway ministry is actively considering to install anti-collision devices and train protection warning system in the rail network to prevent the mishaps.

Since it will require huge investment of funds, the railway is seeking additional fund to implement the safety devices.

The railway safety fund came into existence during the tenure of Nitish Kumar as Railway Minister in 2003. Out of Rs 17,000 crore allocated for the safety fund, Rs 12,000 crore was shared by the finance ministry. The rest was raised through cess on railway tickets.

The railways require Rs 70 lakh per kilometre for implementation of safety devices like train protection warning system and Rs 22 lakh per kilometre for anti-collision device.