Question : SHIFTING OF WESTERN RAILWAY ZONAL OFFICE



(a) whether there is any demand to shift the Zonal Office of Western Railway to Gandhinagar /Ahmedabad;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the reaction of the Government in this regard?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI R.VELU)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) Demand has been raised by Very Important Persons (VIPs) including Hon`ble Minister, Gujarat State.

(c) The location of the headquarters of a Railway is decided on the basis of operational and administrative requirements consistent with the needs of economy and efficiency and not on regional considerations. Moreover, the shifting of a well established office of Western Railway from Mumbai will also involve large scale transfer of staff resulting in dislocation of their family set-up and other allied problems. In view of these, there is no need for a Railway Zonal Office at G&ndhi Nagar or Ahmedabad.