Konkan Railway Employees Union President Subhash Mallgi making a point on Niti Ayog’s plan to monetize Konkan railway.
MARGAO
With Niti Ayog identifying the 741-km Konkan railway route for monetization, the Konkan Railway Employees Union on Wednesday warned that leasing out of the Konkan railway assets along its route will spell doom for the employees as well as for the users.
The Konkan Railway Employees Union and the Rail Kamgar Sena have upped the ante against the proposed monetization of the 741-km Konkan railway.
Addressing the media, Konkan Railway Employees Union President Subhash Mallgi said the railways will hold a warning demonstration in Mumbai on January 27, starting from the VT station before marching towards the Mantrayala.
He said the employees union are presently on a mission to convince the state governments of Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala, which are the stakeholders in the Konkan railway project being the equity holders to oppose Niti Ayog’s planned privatization of the Konkan railway.
“We would like to warn the people of the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala that monetization of the Konkan railway assets to raise revenue to the tune of Rs 7281 crore will also affect the rail users of these states as the private players will not take the KR on leave for charity but for profit”, he said.
He further said the Konkan railway Corporation was formed with equity from the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala and was not a full-funded project of the central or state government.
“Monetization means handing over the railway assets to the private players and companies. Niti Ayog has already conducted a survey and handed over the report to the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Unless the people of the four states raise their voice against the planned monetization, the Niti Ayog will go ahead with the proposal”, Mallgi said.
