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Recently, the hon. Prime Minister announced Rs. 15,000 crore for Mega Railway Project for the development of infrastructure, and included some projects in the Kashmir area. I welcome this step. This is a right step at the right time. It should have been done long before. But what is the difference between the Kashmir area and the North-Eastern area, I need not explain it to this House. From the point of view of backwardness and economic development, we need more infrastructure. We need conversion of broad gauge line from meter gauge. This particular line, which is hundred years old, has lost its life span. Any time, it will collapse.

While concluding, I would submit that Lanjigara Road-Junagada line also needs to be further allocated more funds to complete that work. The gauge conversion for Rupsa-Bangiri Poshi and Naupada-Gunupur and the new line up to Rayagada from Gunupur need to be considered by the hon. Minister. You have sanctioned the PRS at Kendrapara which is yet to be commissioned. Your sanction letter, given one-and-a-half years ago is yet to be executed. Though this House has been provided with the information, your Divisional Railway Manager is yet to take it up.

Sir, to be honest, nothing has been done in terms of new lines and conversion of meter gauge lines into broad gauge lines. In T.N., several projects have been sanctioned some five years back. But the Railways have allocated meagre sums like rupees five crore or rupees two crore for projects wanting hundreds of crores. Against a project cost of Rs. 250 crore, if a sum of rupees five crore or rupees two crore is sanctioned, then would it not take 25 years to complete that project? I am very particular about the broad gauge conversion of railway lines. A great regional imbalance is there in this regard as far as the State of Tamil Nadu is concerned. In all other parts of the country, nearly 80 per cent of all meter gauge lines have been converted into broad gauge lines. Whereas in Tamil Nadu, eighty per cent of meter gauge lines are yet to be converted to broad gauge lines. You are not the only Railway Minister responsible for this anomoly. It is a legacy carried over for several years. At least you could, in your tenure, think of setting right the imbalance, to do something concrete by allocating the finances in large measure, so that this kind of imbalance is removed.

Interaction in between Railway authorities and MP is minimum. The Zonal G.M. should meet MP of his zone at least once in three months.

There is no regional balance or justice in the following subjects : Gauge conversion; New trains;Frequency of trains and extension of services. Highest route KM of gauge conversion work is in arrear in the State of Gujarat. The Hon. Minister had visited my constituency during 1997-98 in presence of other five Ministers and assured gauge conversion of Patan-Mehsana Railway lines which is only 49 KM. This was a public assurance but not carried out till date. Is he waiting for the next Lok Sabha election? According to the information given to me, Railway bridges and culverts on this route are constructed to suit broad gauge. Only tracks are to be laid. I request the Hon. Minister to fulfil his assurance, as Patan is the only district/HQ in Gujarat not connected by broad gauge. I also request him to approve "Computerized Reservation Centre" for Patan Station. Again, this is the only district in Gujarat which is not provided this facility. I am prepared to give Rs.10/- lakh from the MPLAD Fund. I also take this opportunity to know from the Railway Minister about Viramgam-Bhildi Railway line. It is true that the work of gauge conversion in between Viramgem-Mehsana is in progress but the same is at very slow speed. Let it be at the speed of ‘express train’. Sir, I want Hon. Railway Minister to consider following Demands of passengers from North Gujarat : New train from Palampur to Mumbai;