Home
» Indian Budget »
Budget 2008-2009 » Rail Budget 2008-2009
Andhra Pradesh, CM asks Rail
Ministry to include Southern Splendour Project in the coming budget
(Feb 7, 2008)
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, stressed the
Railway Ministry to sanction the Southern Splendour Project (SSP) with
Railways wherein railways would be carrying out 50 per cent of the
capital cost and SSP would be bearing the haulage cost as per the
railway ministry.
The chief minister desires from ministry to entail this project in the
upcoming Rail Budget 2008-09 and accordingly carry out required
instructions in relation to the concerned for availability of rolling
stock and construction of the train on utmost priority.
He asked for early sanction of the project in regards to which a
revised project proposal had been passed to the Railways. He sent a
letter to Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, while consorting to the
Railways’ new policy of payment of haulage costs, for operating the
Southern Splendour Luxury Tourist Train.
In the month of November, the Railway Board last suggested a change in
the policy of charging luxury tourist trains by the Ministry of
Railways, or charging of haulage cost in the place of revenue sharing
for Luxury Tourist Train.
As per this policy planned by the Railways, the chief minister of the
state also stressed the Railways to take up the 50 per cent of the
capital cost keeping in mind the fact that the train would operate not
only in Andhra Pradesh but also in the entire Southern India including
the states of AP, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Kerala, Karnataka and Pondicherry
that consists of numerous tourist locations.
On this the chief minister said that such a action would bring in
numerous tourists from various countries apart form the local tourists.
