AP MPs not satisfied with Railways

They lash out at higher-ups over utter negligence

Vijayawada: Cutting across party lines, MPs of both Telugu Desam and YSR Congress party have lashed out at South Central Railway higher-ups protesting the lack of concern over pending railway issues and problems related to Andhra Pradesh.

Telugu Desam MPs Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, J C Divakar Reddy, YSR Congress MPs Mekapati Rajamohana Reddy and Y V Subba Reddy came down heavily on railway officials during the meeting with South Central Railway general manager Vinod Kumar Yadav in Vijayawada on Tuesday. The general manager arranged the meeting to discuss the issues prevailing in various Parliament constituencies of Andhra Pradesh.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

• TDP and YSRC MPs make united attack protesting poor response over delay in announcement of new railway zone
• Rayapati criticises officials for no response on MP’s grievances
• Most of the MPs, including Krishna skips meeting with SCR general manager

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The MPs have expressed displeasure over the poor response of officials on the problems they raise every year regarding State and their respective constituencies. Speaking to reporters, Guntur MP Rayapati said the railway board was considering Andhra Pradesh is a “neglected State”.
He also did not spare Railway Minister Suresh Parbhu.

“We cannot consider him as “ours” though he is representing Andhra Pradesh in Rajya Sabha. He did not come to AP but pressed buttons from Delhi to inaugurate railway projects,” Rayapati lamented.

Rayapati also said that he was forced to speak over railway issues though strict orders from Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to keep silent. “Railway officials are more powerful than Prime Minster and Chief Ministers. They do not hear any one whether they are MPs or Central Ministers.

They also did not pursue some minor issues such as requests on station halts and change of timings of trains,” he said. Rayapati also expressed displeasure over delay in announcing railway zone to Visakhapatnam. “If we keep silent for another year, railway zone to State would not be announced,” he said.

In similar attack, Ananthapuram MP J C Divakar Reddy said the railway higher-ups tend to circumvent their responsibilities even as they have powers to solve some minor issues. He demanded for a certain mechanism to address MPs’ grievances and officers must communicate the status every month. “All MPs, cutting across the party lines, raised their voice powerfully and demanded responsibility from officials,” he said.

Nellor MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy shocked by the officials attitude in “evading answers” during the meeting and said, “We strongly demand for arrangement of Visakhapatnam railway zone. We only hope that the Centre will not do with the railway zone like Special Category Status issue.”

Rajamohan Reddy along with Ongole MP Y V Subba Reddy and Tirupati MP Velagapalli Varprasad demanded for early completion of Nadikudi-Srikalahasti new railway line as it was most important project to the State. Subba Reddy also demanded railway officials to start survey on proposed new railway lines in the State and start railway line works in Prakasam and Nellore.

However, some MPs such as Hindupur MP Nimmala Kristappa, Kakinada MP Thota Narasimhulu, Kurnool MP Butta Renuka, Narasapuram MP Gokaraju Ganga Raju expressed satisfaction over the response of railway officials during the meeting.

Rajamahendravaram MP Maganti Murali Mohan said, “The response of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu is very good over the issues of AP”. While Renuka requested for survey on Kurnool-Mantralayam new line, Thota Narasimhulu asked for early completion of Kakinada-Kotipalli-Narasapuram line.

Kadapa MP Y S Avinash Reddy, Rajampeta MP Midhun Reddy, Eluru MP Maganti Babu and Bapatla MP Malyadri Sriram attended the meeting.

Though 33 MPs were expected to attend the meeting with general manager, only 12 MPs attended. MPs from Krishna district Kesineni Srinivas, Konakalla Naryana, Guntru MP Galla Jayadev and others did not attend the meeting.