RailEnquiry

The Railway Ministry is likely to take a decision soon to set up Rail Tariff Regulatory Authority (RTRA) to suggest tariff hike in passenger and freight fare, Minister of State for Railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said today.

"Modalities for such a body (RTRA) including its composition, role and responsibility are being evaluated at an inter-ministerial group", Chowdhury told reporters here today.

"The Ministry has proposed to set up Railway Tariff Regulatory Authority for regulating inter-alia the tariff structure of the Railways. It is under discussion of inter ministerial group and a decision on it will be taken soon," he said.

Chowdhury also said that Chhattisgarh, with its rich reserve of iron ore and mineral deposits,will play a prominent role in country's industrialisation in the future. "Chhattisgarh is popularly known for its mineral reserve, particularly of iron ore and it will play a prominent role in country's industrial map in future," Chowdhury said.

Referring to the mega rail projects ongoing in the state, he said the Centre will help Chhattisgarh in every way to strengthen rail connectivity and augmenting the capacity too.

"Whatever is the demand of state, it can convey to us. We will try our best to accomplish them," he added.

Admitting that rail ministry is running a loss of over Rs 20,000 crore, Chowdhury said, the ministry has come to the Congress after 16 years.

Railways was virtually "regionalised" in this period of time and now we are turning it into a "national entity" again, he said.

The minister said though no new project is coming up in the state, the focus is on expediting the sanctioned ones including industrial rail corridors and the 235-km Dalli Rajhara-Jagdalpur rail link via Rowghat in Bastar.