New Delhi, Dec 4 (PTI) TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee on Wednesday expressed concern over rail accidents and suggested that the government reduce the Indian Railways' operating cost and improve passenger amenities.

Participating in a debate on the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha, several opposition members, including the Congress' Shyamkumar Daulat Barve and the RSP's NK Premachandran, demanded that the government resume offering rail fare concessions to senior citizens.

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Banerjee said there had been 18 accidents in the first five months of this fiscal. He cited the 2023-24 Economic Survey to claim that there had been limited progress in safety-related work in the Indian Railways.

The MP from Serampore in West Bengal suggested modernising rail infrastructure and increasing passenger amenities.

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Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav demanded the resumption of concession in rail fares for journalists and SC/ST/OBC students appearing for examinations.

A similar demand was made by Congress MP Barve, Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) MP Chandrashekhar Azad, and AAP's Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer.

The Congress' Gurjeet Singh Aujla alleged that the Bill, if passed into a law, would end the Railway Board and promote privatisation.

Hayer said people were apprehensive that the government would privatise the railways.

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