Kuala Lumpur: After scripting a turnaround in the fortunes of Indian Railways, Union Minister Lalu Prasad has now envisioned the prospect of channelising surplus water from various rivers through large pipes along the country's 24,000 kms railway tracks.

"The railways is like an empire, it is a league apart, its vast network crisscrossing across the country can help the government in water management," the minister, who was here to witness the signing of a railway double tracking contract awarded to public sector company IRCON by the Malaysian government, said.

He noted that surplus water from rivers during seasonal floods flowed to adjoining countries and states causing havoc.

"If we are able to connect all rivers like a garland from various points along its path and let it flow through pipes along the tracks, it can be diverted to areas which need water," he told PTI.

While projects like dam constructions have lead to major protests in the past as they involve acquiring of land from native people, this process will not require land acquisition as Railways owns the land alongside its running tracks, he said.

"We can float global tenders to invest in laying the pipes and sell water at a nominal cost, this can be an additional source of revenue for the railways," said Lalu, who is now known the world over as the man who revived Indian railways without slashing jobs or hiking fares.

Some Malaysian corporate personnel have referred to him as a legend who has turned around a giant network.

Lalu Prasad, who said his only hobby was "work and more work", said the turnaround of the Indian railways was "a starting point."

"We are not closing the turnaround, we have more plans, we have go much beyond where we have reached now," the minister, who flew here from Singapore after delivering a lecture at the prestigious management institute INSEAD.

Calling himself "a professor of the world", Lalu Prasad said he was also keen on achieving port connectivity to all rail networks to help farmers send their produce to areas which have scarcity.

"With cold storage facilities, poor farmers instead of selling all their surplus at cheap prices at nearby markets can even think of exports," he added.

Another priority, the minister said was to get the 60 per cent road container traffic turn to railways.

"Some businessmen in remote areas require only one or two wagons, and the railways at present is not able to cater to them. They have to rely on road transport," Lalu said.

"But if we build sufficient warehouses in remote areas, they can leave their goods there which can be picked up by the rail network," Lalu said, adding this would also take off the pressure from the roads.

Source : PTI