Financial provision for MUTP II in Railway budget: Laloo

Mumbai, Jan 6 (UNI) Railway Minister Laloo Prasad today assured Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh that financial provisions will be made in this year's railway budget for the second phase of Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP-II).

Mr Prasad gave the assurance during a meeting with Mr Deshmukh on various pending issues of railway in the state.

Completion of MUTP-II will reduce the rush in local train in metropolis, which is currently 5,000 per train and can come down to 2,700 per train after completion of the project which would require Rs 4,500 crore.

While the state government will bear 50 per cent expenditure of the project, the remaining 50 per cent will be borne by the centre.

The Railway Ministry has been instructed to include the expenditure in its budget.

Mr Deshmukh said while additional floor space index (FSI) will be given for the project for railway land at Bandra and emphasised that the money collected from this should be used for railway development.

The cost of the plot is around Rs 900 crore, while Rs 594 crore is expected to be available for the project, he added.

The Chief Minister also said if the modernisation work of suburban railway stations will be given to Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), it will be done on public-private partnership basis.

It is also stated that if MMRDA willd be given the work, the railway can generate Rs 100 crore in next five years through advertisements at subruban railway stations. A proposal of Rs 55 crore was been given in this regard.

Mr Prasad assured Mr Deshmukh for the modernisation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus soon.

He also assured that the work on Latur-Miraj railwayline can be completed by March and added that an arrangement will be made for Beed-Parli railway route in this year's budget.

The Railway Minister also assured that he will meet a delegation in New Delhi on various railway projects in state.

The meeting was attended by chief secretary Johny Joseph, MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad and officials from railway.

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