Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Grouping them

Sir, — Railway zones had been created one after the other for political reasons and demands by politicians.

I want to recall what happened in 1951. It was the late Sir N. Gopalaswamy Ayyengar, first Railway Minister after Independence, who regrouped the 50-plus railway companies in the country (including the individual States), and formed them into six zonal railways. Explaining his proposal to regroup all the railways, Ayyangar made a marathon speech in Parliament during which the entire Parliament was in rapt attention. Ayyangar explained the disadvantages in having too many railways. When N.G. resumed his seat after his speech, Jawaharlal Nehru congratulated him. It was for valid reasons that no new zonal railway was created (after the six) for many years. Politics played its part, resulting in the creation of the South Central Railway.

N.V.R. Swamy,

Chennai

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