Jhargram (WB): The Railways would observe 2002-2003 as the "Year of passenger Amenities" with special emphasis on sprucing up railway stations, according to Railway Minister Nitish Kumar.

"This year more funds have been allocated for development of passenger amenities in trains and railway stations all over the country," Kumar told reporters on April 1 after inaugurating a computerised passenger reservation system.

He said that district headquarters all over the country would have computerised passenger reservation system (PRS) soon with the Railways taking necessary steps in this direction.

The minister said that previously only those railway stations from where 300 railway reservation tickets were booked used to have computerised reservation system. Now stations from where 100 tickets would be booked would have the computerised reservation system.

"Till now 700 railway stations all over the country have computerised reservation system and the railways propose to add another 150 railway stations to the PRS this year," he said.

Kumar refused to comment when his attention was drawn to the latest CAG report, which castigated the railways for failing to utilise the money, earmarked for improvement of passenger amenities.

PTI