Question : MISMANAGEMENT

(a) whether the Government are aware that loss of revenue is caused to the Railways because of the callousness of the authorities such as declaring the coaches premature for condemnation;

(b) the average life of a coach and the number of coaches condemned before its life period and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the CAG has dwelt upon the subject in the report 9 of 1999;

(d) if so, the reaction of Government thereon;

(e) whether due to mismanagement of the railways, many of the projects of the railways like conversion of meter/narrow gauge into broad gauge etc. have remained far behind; and

(f) if so, the measures taken to tone up the management of the railways for the benefit of the people?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS ( SHRI O. RAJAGOPAL )

(a) & (b) Decision for condemnation of a coach is guided by the extent of repairs and inputs required to be made to bring the coach to a safe operation level for efficient use by the passengers and where such inputs are financially not justifiable, decision is taken to condemn the coach. While most of the coaches reach this condition after completing their codal life of 25 years, in some cases where the coaches are involved either in accidental damage or excessive corrosion, premature condemnation becomes unavoidable. All such decisions are taken after adequate scrutiny both from technical and financial aspects carried out at all levels.

The number of coaches condemned before completing codal life are given below:

Gauge	1999-2000	2000-01
BG	350	246	MG	35	70	NG	2	1