Railway Minister did not keep his promise: BJP

Mumbai, Feb 26 (UNI) Criticising the Railway Budget for not making mention of Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) and not reducing the cess by 50 per cent, BJP leader Eknath Khadse said the budget does not have anything for Mumbai and Maharashtra as promised.

The Railway Minister has not announced any schemes for the lady commuters in the city nor has he given a go ahead for any services in rural Maharashtra, Mr Khadse said in a press release here.

The State Government has allotted Rs 400 crore for railway projects on Manmad-Dhule-Indore route but, no announcement in this regard was made in the Union Rail Budget, which has betrayed the people living in the belt, the release said.

The Railway Minister in his last budget had announced that railway tickets would be available at petrol pumps, ATM centres and post offices, but nothing has been done in this regard, the release added.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has praised Railway Minster Lalu Prasad for the ''people-friendly budget'' and welcomed the Railway Minister's move to give concessions of 30 to 50 per cent to students and women senior citizens and two to five per cent to all passengers.

Delhi, Mumbai and Pune would be developed at a faster rate since these stations were of international level and the MPCC has welcomed the government's decision to start services from Amravati to the city, a Congress release said.

The budget has made provisions for the minorities following which examinations for group 'D' would be held in Urdu.

The budget has not increased the rail fares but has reduced them in some cases, which would benefit the common man in the long run, the release added.

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