BANGALORE/MANGALORE: Railway minister DV Sadananda Gowda favours 'Metro man' E Sreedharan to head an expert committee to recommend rail reforms and innovation.

After meeting officials and people's representatives in Bangalore on Sunday, the minister said he will constitute the committee after seeking the PM's approval. He said the country needs experts like Sreedharan to modernize the department.

The minister hasn't yet spoken to Sreedharan, 81, a retired Indian Engineering Service officer who effectively helmed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for 17 years.

Giving a sneak preview into the upcoming rail budget, the minister said he will stay clear of populism and regionalism, instead focus on expediting the current projects. Besides safety, service, security and speed, the minister said he'd like to put an end to the ticket-booking racket.

Gowda told TOI in Mangaore on Saturday that as per the data furnished by Southern Railways, eight major projects in Tamil Nadu and two in Kerala must be completed forthwith. He hinted that budgetary allocations during the UPA's rule were measly. For instance, he said, the interim budget had set aside Rs 112 crore for projects that cost Rs 6,520 crore, and earmarked a shoestring outlay in 18 track-doubling projects.

The minister said his aim is to reduce the average implementation time of a railway project from 50 years to 30, and this requires a combination of modernization, fund infusion and strict timelines. "Each railway zone chief has been asked to submit a two-page priority list," he said.

Gowda admitted that the expectations, especially from Karnataka, are high, and he vowed to work 24x7 round the year in a bid to fulfil them. He spoke of a Chennai-Bangalore-Mangalore rail corridor to boost trade. "Karnataka's only full-fledged port, Mangalore, requires better rail link," he said.

He termed his predecessor M Mallikarjuna Kharge's announcement of a fare hike towards the fag-end of the UPA's rule - 10% on fare and 5% on freight - a burden. "I know once I begin to implement it, there will be criticism."

On privatization, he admitted the railways need more resources, but they have to work out the modalities. "All my moves will be calculated. There won't be hurried decisions," he said.

