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- By Parinda News Bureau, February 25, 2006, 12:02 IST
Mumbai: The so-called populist railway budget, that has pleased the Biharis, has angered Mumbaikars. Constituting more than half of the country's daily commuters, Mumbai has been left out without any significant share in the budget.
Former Minister of State for Railways, Ram Naik said, "No specific special schemes have been given to Mumbai which has 65 lakh commuters" which is the highest among all metros. "Instead what we get are four and two rakes in the Western and Central Railways respectively and 200 ticket vending machines which are of no use to commuters who struggle to get into a Virar local", he added.
Out of the 1.25 crore daily commuters in India, Kolkata comprises 19 lakh while Chennai has 6 lakh which is nothing when compared to the 65 lakh commuters in Mumbai. Even on the profit front, Mumbai is leagues ahead of Kolkata and Chennai. Still no allocation has been given to Mumbai. "Even the progress work started by MRVC (Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation) worth Rs 3,480 crore has not been given any backing by the Railway Minister. He could have 'at least assured that all the work carried out by MRVC will be completed or expedited", Naik told FPJ. Even former members from the Railway Board are not happy with the way Mumbai has been treated in the railway budget. According to S M Vaish, a former general manager, Indian Railways, "there is a lot of ' regional imbalance in the budget. Sections like WR that gives big profit to the railways every year have been completely overlooked".
Although long distance passengers should be taken care of, it is the short distance people who deserve priority in Mumbai, he added.
However, railway officials are an insensitive lot. "What more could the passenger have asked for. For the fourth year in a row, there has been no hike in fares which is quite good,” said Pranay Prabhakar, Chief Public Relations Officer, WR.
Lalu has even overlooked his promise to a six-member delegation of Pravas Adhikar Andolan Samiti to start new Andheri-Virar shuttle services in order to reduce overcrowding in local trains to Virar. Hailing the rail budget as a growth-oriented budget, Sunderam Iyer, president of the Mumbai Citizens and Commuters Trust said," Lalu desrves a pat for sparing the common man from any fare and freight hike."
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