KOCHI: The state secretariat of the Hindu Economic Forum (HEF) on Sunday submitted a memorandum to Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu, seeking to address certain important requirements of the State with regard to railway service.
One of the key complaints in the memorandum is that the Railways was ignoring small-scale businessmen by not allowing them to do single wagon booking, which the it used to do around 20 years ago.“At present, the Railways is allowing such booking only rarely, making it possible only for big players like the FCI, cement companies and coal companies.
Small-time traders like rice merchants, potato and onion merchants, salt merchants and marble merchants should also be allowed to use the facility. This will help reduce the prices of commodities and ease congestion on roads as a major portion of such commodities are transported by road,” said HEF state president T Raghavan.
He also complained that the Container Corporation of India was not allowing single-container booking, a facility that was enjoyed by small-scale businessmen until four years ago. “Currently, the Railways is allowing it only to exporters, not domestic merchants. It is a partisan outlook,” stated the memorandum. Raghavan further pointed out that employees at Railways’ parcel service section often damaged the goods through careless handling. “Most of them throw the commodities carelessly. This must be happening only in Indian Railways, which is totally irresponsible when it comes to parcel handling. This attitude should change so that more people would make use of the parcel service,” said Raghavan.
In order to increase supply of perishable goods like vegetables and fruits, the HEF suggested in the memorandum that freezer trains be launched for the transport of such goods. “Building air-conditioned warehouses on unused land at major railway stations will help the entire population as foodgrains, condiments, fish, meat and vegetables could be stored for long periods,” it stated.
The HEF also requested the Minister to give the Forum representation in the Railway Consultative Committee so as to raise the issues faced by the business fraternity.
