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Lok Sabha
The Union Minister of Railways Shri Lalu Prasad made the following statement in the Lok Sabha today, ruling out a separate Railway zone for Kerala :
“For effective management of the vast network of Indian Railways, it is divided into Zones and Divisions. The criterion for creation of new zones is on the basis of the workload, accessibility, geographical sprawl, pattern of traffic flows, economic viability and other operating/administrative requirements. Ethnic, linguistic and/or territorial (State Boundaries etc.) considerations do not form the basis for evaluating issues pertaining to railway reorganization.
Recently, the Government has reorganized the entire Indian Railways by creating seven new zones and eight new divisions by off-loading heavily worked zones and divisions, based on the recommendations of Railway Reforms Committee (1984) and Advisors’ Committee (1994). This entire exercise has been carried out keeping in view the factors like size, workload, accessibility, traffic pattern and other operating/administrative requirements etc. consistent with the needs of economy and efficiency. Regional considerations have not been the part of this exercise. The jurisdictions of all the zones has thus been finalized keeping in view the geographical contiguity of divisions forming a zone; smooth movement of traffic operationally with a view to provide better control and improve efficiency of the system.
The Indian Railways is at present divided into 16 Railway Zones. None of these zones are State centric. Each zone spreads into several states and similarly even various States are also served by different Railway Zones. There are 12 States, which do not have any Zonal Headquarter.
The argument that States have differences in topographical and inhabitation pattern, thereby different transport needs and one zone cannot serve these transportation need is not correct. The Indian Railways in an integrated organization, serving the needs of entire nation. The Zonal Railways serve the transport needs of entire jurisdiction under them without any discrimination on State basis. The Indian Railway is proud of bringing unity in diversity.
Therefore, keeping in view the facts explained above, it is not feasible to create a new zone exclusively for Kerala.”
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