PAC pulls up railways for delay in repair of bridges

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today pulled up the Railways Ministry for long delays in repair and rebuilding of "distressed" railway bridges.

The key parliamentary panel said the delay was "unpardonable" and that the reply provided to it by the Railway Board in this regard was "too poor", "prima facie evasive", "sketchy" and "incorrect".

PAC Chairman K V Thomas is learnt to have pulled up the ministry officials present at a meeting on the issue here today.

The committee took up the issue of repair of railway bridges and the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in this regard.
 

Although the Railway Board had promised close monitoring of railway bridges after the CAG flagged the issue for the first time several years ago, the status of strengthening of bridges remains the same, Thomas is learnt to have said in the meeting.

"The quality of the reply given by the Railway Board is too poor and prima facie evasive, raising serious doubt whether the replies to audit findings were approved by the Railway Board Chairman, let alone by the government," a source said quoting Thomas.

The Railway Board was lambasted for its claim of paucity of funds as the main reason behind slow progress in repairing bridges as it had not utilised funds to the tune of Rs 60.95 crore.

As per norms, bridges of 'Distressed Category I' should be rehabilitated within one year and that of 'Distressed Category II' should be reconstructed within four years.

Contrary to the deadline, the Railway Board took "as much as 43 months" even to sanction the repair work.

The delay on part of the railways was dubbed as "unpardonable" by the committee.