Pawan Kumar Bansal.
Chennai:
For Tamil Nadu, Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal’s maiden budget was just old wine in new bottle. But for the 14 new trains announced in the budget, from new trains to new rail routes, the state stands to lose on many fronts.
For instance, the two-decade old Avadi- Guduvanchery rail route via Sriperumbudur and Orgadam has reappeared as a “new project” proposed to be taken up in this fiscal. Also, the revival of old Sathy-Bengaluru rail route leaves little to cheer about, for the controversial projects intersecting the elephant corridor in the western ghats, faces stiff resistance from environmentalists.
Long-pending demands like new rail routes on Chennai-Sriperumbudur stretch via Guindy and Poonamallee, Kacheepuram-Katpadi stretch via Tiruvannamalai, Kumbakonam-Vridachalam stretch via Andimadam and Athipattu-Ennore seaport stretch have not been mentioned even. Electrification on Erode-Tiruchy via Karur, Karur-Dindugul has also been ignored. Bansal has also not obliged the public demand for launching overnight Coimbatore-Bangalore train and increasing Chennai-Tirunelveli connectivity.
Even SRMU general secretary N. Kanniah did not mind describing as ‘questionable’ the launch of the 14 new trains, as at least four of the 11 trains announced in the earlier budget, excluding the Chennai-Bangalore double-decker put on trial last week, have not been launched yet. The minister’s promises on the safety front sounded empty, says S. Mohanram, member of zonal rail users consultative panel.
source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC, K. Karthikeyan / February 27th, 2013