Bonanza for Maharashtra in railway budget

Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee has come up with a series of proposals for Maharashtra, including non-stop point-to-point service proposed for the first time in the history of Indian Railways.

Apart from introducing nine new trains to Mumbai, Banerjee has proposed upgrading three stations in the state - Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Pune and Nagpur - to "world class" standards.

While CST in Mumbai, one of the targets of last November's terror attacks, is a world heritage building, Pune is the information technology and education hub of the state. The railway station at Nagpur, which sits on the crossing of Mumbai-Howrah and New Delhi-Chennai rail lines, dates back to 1887 and also is a heritage building.

Maharashtra has got three non-stop point-to-point 'Duronto' trains: Mumbai-Ahmedabad (tri-weekly), Mumbai-Howrah (bi-weekly) and Pune-Delhi (bi-weekly).

Banerjee has also cleared the proposal for a new line between Pune and Nashik, which would ultimately form the golden triangle with Mumbai as the third point.

Another line has been cleared between Bidar and state Chief Minister Ashok Chavan's home district Nanded, while the Nagbhir-Nagpur section has been cleared for gauge conversion.

Several stations in the state are listed for development as "Adarsh" (ideal) stations, with basic facilities like drinking water, toilets, catering services, waiting rooms and dormitories for women.

Three proposed Multi-Functional Complexes - which will have facilities like shopping plazas, food courts, book stalls, medical stores, budget hotels, communication and parking centres - will come up at Nanded, Nashik and Manmad.

A nursing college for children of railway employees will come up at Kalyan in Thane district.

Moreover, of the two weekly pilot Yuva projects - train services for the youth - one will link Mumbai with Delhi.

Last updated on Jul 3^rd, 2009 at 20:36 pm IST--IANS