New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) The opposition on Monday slammed the Railway Ministry in the Lok Sabha, saying that making Instagram reels will not help the public behemoth which is on a "ventilator" due to poor management of the government.

Participating in a debate on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways for 2025-26, several MPs flagged the issue of rail safety and claimed the government had tried to cover up the stampede incident at the New Delhi railway station.

Congress member Varsha Gaikwad disputed the claims that the rail budget was a "record-breaking" measure and asserted that it was a "failed budget".

She slammed the railways' handling of the stampede at the New Delhi station last month, contending that the officials were busy saving the government instead of engaging in rescue efforts.

"Officials were busy hiding details of the stampede. Financial help was handed out in a hurry in the middle of the night and the reason for the stampede has not come to light," Gaikwad said.

BJP member Janardan Sigriwal said the budget has allocated Rs 2.65 lakh crore -- the largest allocation ever -- to the railways which will help in strengthening the basic infrastructure, modernising stations and trains, and improving passenger safety.

He said Rs 32,235.24 crore has been allocated for laying new rail lines while Rs 4,550 crore has been assigned for gauge conversion.

However, Gaikwad alleged that the revenue of the railways was falling and making (Instagram) reels would not help the public transporters in any way. According to her, the Railways was the only one in the race and it still stands at the runner-up position and not the top.

She alleged that the rail Kavach system, developed to prevent accidents, was being used by the minister to protect himself and not passengers and the trains. She said he continues in office despite a series of accidents under his watch.

Participating in the debate, Trinamool Congress MP Satabdi Roy said no amount of compensation would bring back those killed in rail accidents. The imposition of cancellation charges on tickets was "torture" for passengers, she added.

Samajwadi Party's Lalji Verma claimed that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has not increased the budget for facilities in trains. The MP from Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkar Nagar said facilities at stations need to be improved along with the punctuality of trains.

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee flagged the issue of railway safety and said 351 people died and 970 were injured in 200 consequential railway accidents between 2020 and 2024.

"In 2024 alone, 29 consequential train accidents occurred due to derailments, collisions, fires and level-crossing errors, resulting in 17 deaths and 81 injuries, including major accidents," he said.

Raising the issue of declining passenger amenities, the TMC MP said the allocation for this has been falling. The CAG has raised concerns over poor hygiene and the quality of food served by the railways, he said.

About manpower shortage, Banerjee said 20,000 posts of loco pilots and assistant loco pilots are lying vacant, putting pressure on the existing lot.

Congress member Kumari Selja said, "The main concern is the issue of railway safety. The entire nation is concerned about it. The number of accidents is on the rise and it appears that the budget has stagnated. The Railway Safety Fund has been allocated just Rs 2,000 crore. How can this take care of safety?" BJP member Shankar Lalwani said the government has stepped up electrification of railways. The entire rail network will be electrified very soon, he said.

"During the 10 years of UPA, only 5,588 km of tracks were electrified, but under the NDA rule, 44,199 km of tracks have been electrified. This is a nearly 10-fold increase in electrification," Lalwani said.

He said facilities are improving across the rail network.

New coaches are being built, new Vande Bharat trains have started and Vande Bharat sleeper trains will be launched soon, Lalwani said, adding renewable energy is also being used in railways.

Sachithanantham R of the CPIM demanded the allotment of more funds for the KAVACH system in the interest of passenger safety.

Two Opposition MPs questioned the government's priorities and the rationale behind selecting the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor for the country's first bullet train and asked the Centre to prioritise other regions as well.

Congress MP Harish Chandra Meena, from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, raised concerns about the project's focus, arguing that the railways are a national asset meant to serve the entire country.

Meena criticised the choice of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route and also highlighted the extensive existing infrastructure connecting the two cities.

Rajeev Rai of the Samajwadi Party also questioned the government's regional focus. He urged the government to consider air traffic patterns from other major cities before making such significant investments.

"Before running a bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, take a look at the air traffic and fares between Varanasi and Delhi, Lucknow and Delhi, or Patna and Delhi. People in these regions also deserve improved facilities," Rai said.

Naresh Mhaske, a Shiv Sena MP from Maharashtra's Thane, defended the project and highlighted its ambitious scope.

"It is the forward-thinking vision of the NDA alliance that the country's first bullet train will pass through Thane on its way to Mumbai. For this, (construction of) the nation's first undersea tunnel between Mumbai and Thane has also begun," Mhaske said.

National Conference member Aga Syed Ruhulla Mehdi said democracy says to listen to people, but in Jammu and Kashmir, people get what they don't want.

"We want our orchards not the Pahalgam and Shopian railway line. It will ruin our business and identity," Mehdi said. PTI NAB ASK DP UZM SKU NSD NSD