No new trains for Saurashtra in rail budget

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• Budget2001

No new trains for Saurashtra in rail budget Tuesday, February 27, 2001

RAJKOT: Mamata Banerjee's second railway budget on Monday evoked mixed reactions in Saurashtra region. While the commonman heaved a sigh of relief as there is no hike in fares for any class of railway travel, the trade and industry was not very appreciative of the budgetary proposals, as freight on many items has been increased. Residents were also unhappy over no new trains being granted for the region.

Rajkot residents have welcomed the proposal to increase the frequency of trains between Rajkot-Ernakulam and Rajkot Secunderabad. Residents were however unhappy over their demand for a superfast train between Rajkot and Mumbai not being fulfilled.

D K Patel, vice-president of the Rajkot Engineering Association said, "injustice to Saurashtra region continues as far as giving new trains is concerned." He, however, chose not to directly blame the railway minister but instead said, "it was failure on part of MPs from Saurashtra who had failed to persuade the minister to give new trains, adding freight hike would jack up prices of raw material and hamper economic growth in the region."

Shirish Joshi, secretary of the Gondal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, while welcoming the budget said, "it was a good gesture of the minister not to increase fares considering the fact that rail finances were in mess." He also said that the Rajkot-Veraval broad gauge conversion would also get a boost with a budgetary allocation. It was expected that the project would be completed by 2002 or a year later, Joshi said.

The completion of gauge conversion between Gandhidham-Bhuj and Wankaner-Morbi by March this year was also welcomed by Joshi. "This will boost economic activities in the region", he said.

Rashmi Shethia, a housewife said, "atleast we can now afford to go out on a holiday without tension." She was not very happy over the increase in freight charges as that would push up the prices of essential commodities, which in turn would upset her domestic budget.

Harikrishna Joshi, member of the divisional railway users consultative committee here said, "The rail minister has made a good effort in not going in for a fare hike despite the fact that the railways were making a daily loss of around Rs 10 crore. He said that the shortfall from not increasing the passenger fare could be realised by selling railway properties. The demand of the people of Rajkot for having a superfast train to Mumbai has not been fulfilled which is painful".

Mahendra Rajvir, treasurer of the Rajkot Chamber of Commerce had termed the railway budget as an "election-oriented one as the railway minister's constituency will go to polls in near future. The hike in freight charges of coal and furnace oil would hit the small-scale sector in Saurashtra. Besides, the three per cent increase in freight rate would also push up the cost of production as raw material would be expensive," he said.

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