Title - MPs’ meet on rly devp damp squib

A high-level meeting convened by the Southern Railway eneral manager here on Monday for discussing issues related to railways prior to the union railway budget proved a damp squib.
    The southern railway had been functioning without a general manager for the last eight months and the new general manager took charge only a few days ago. Ironically, the meeting attended by MPs from the state, Union minister of state for human resources development Shashi Tharoor and state transport minister Aryadan Muhammed was held when the Union government has almost finalised the railway budget, to be presented in Parliament shortly.
    Most MPs present at the meeting said the railway was not even interested to organize a platform from which MPs can voice their collective demands for the state. In states like Tamil Nadu, such meetings were held months ago. Even though enough funds are available for improving security in railway stations, no railway station in the state ever get the facelift that stations in other parts of the country get, they said.
    General manager Rajesh Mishra said Southern Railway was not in a position to address most issues raised by the MPs. However, he said the issues raised by the MPs would be brought to the attention of the Union railway ministry. Thiruvananthapuram divisional railway manager Rajesh Agarwal and Palakkad divisional manager Piyush Agarwal were also present.