The government is hopeful of completing the project by 2017, Minister of State for Railways K H Muniappa said during Question Hour.
He said 65 per cent of the land earmarked for the project has already been acquired and MoUs have already been signed as part of efforts to start the project on time.
Former Railway Minister and RJD member Lalu Prasad said at present 80 per cent of the goods were being transported by road where policemen force people to pay extortion money.
Muniappa said the government is following what Prasad had initiated as the railway minister.
"It is planned to increase revenue generation by carrying higher freight and passenger volumes, rationalisation of revenue stream, commercial exploitation of land and control over expenditure," he said.
Prasad alleged that railways is suffering from fund shortage and said, "Railways was once called a jersey cow." This was no longer the case, he added. PTI RC SMI
