The Railways have always provided rakes for carrying bitumen required for road construction, based on indent from the Bihar government, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said on Friday brushing aside Bihar government's charge that his ministry was not cooperating.
"Such charges are baseless as Railways have provided rakes whenever requisitions are made by the state government for transport of bitumen," Prasad said.
"I want to make it clear that there has never been any delay in transport of bitumen because of the Railways," he said.
Stating that the present dispensation was 'in the habit of making baseless charges against the ministry', the minister said "if there is some delay in filling up bitumen in rakes at any Indian Oil Corporation depot, the Railways can't be held responsible."
"We are only responsible for giving rakes for transportation," Prasad added.
He said he had spoken to IOC officials and state Road Construction minister N K Yadav in this connection. "It is a different matter that the Railways are being targeted even after good gesture shown by us in prompt transport of bitumen," Prasad added.
The road construction minister had recently alleged that the Railways were not providing adequate rakes for moving bitumen to Bihar from other parts of the country.
Yadav had said shortage of bitumen was adversely affecting construction of roads in Bihar.
Source:The Indian Express,21-03-08
