Odisha train accident: CAG report from 2022 had flagged dip in track renewal funds
1 min read 05 Jun 2023, 04:53 PM ISTA CAG report from last year has raised questions about reduced funds allocated for track renewal, following a deadly three train collision in India that killed 275 people and injured 1100.
PremiumDays after a horrifying three train collision claimed 275 lives and injured more than 1100 others, a CAG report from last year has sparked fresh questions. The ‘Derailment in Indian Railways’ report had flagged a reduction in funds allocated for track renewal. The 2022 report from the Comptroller and Auditor General had touched upon a range of issues including the non-utilisation of a special railway fund on priority tasks.
According to standard maintenance protocols, the Indian Railways should be renewing 4,500 km of train tracks (out of a total length of 1,14,907 km). However the process has been in constantly declining for the past five years due to financial constraints. The Standing Committee on Railways (2016-17) observed that the targets kept for track renewals are not in line with the actual requirement on ground.
According to the CAG report only 3.01% of funds ( ₹20.74 crore out of the total expenditure of ₹689.90 crore) were utilised for track renewal on Western Railway in 2019-20. Meanwhile the complete track renewal works of selected divisions of the railways failed to achieve its target during 2017-18 to 2019-2020 due to a supply issue of materials.
The report also flagged fund constraints - allotment declined from ₹9,607.65 crore in 2018-19 to ₹7,417 crore in 2019-20. The report explains that different railway zones have been surrendering funds over the past few years.
(With inputs from agencies)
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