New Delhi, June 14: Railway Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said negotiations were on with the Ministry of Communications for equity participation of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited in the RailTel Corporation for improving telecom services in Railways. Inaugurating a two-day seminar on "Emerging Technologies in Safety and Customer Satisfaction" here, Kumar said he had a meeting in this connection with Communications and IT Minister Arun Shourie and negotiations were progressing well.
Stating that emerging technologies faced challenges during their adoption and in making them fool-proof in Indian conditions, he said funds would not be a constraint in improving efficient signalling and telecom systems in the Railways as a "non-lapsable Special Railway Safety Fund is available now".
Kumar said safety received topmost priority in Railways and since November, 2001, the Rs 17,000 crore special Railway Safety Fund was being effectively utilised for upgradation, renewal of railway assets including tracks, repair of bridges and improving signalling and telecom facilities. Bureau Report