Amenities, security top priority in rail budget: Mamata

Passenger amenities, safety and security will have priorities in the next Railway budget which is likely to be presented on July one, Railway minister Mamata Banerjee has said.     

Emphasis will also be given on infrastructure development which, Banerjee told a television news channel last night, will strive to strike a balance between the commercial and human face of the Railways.     

"The Railways have two sides — commercial and human face — we have to maintain both sides," she said.     

Asked if she stands the risk of being dubbed as a regional railway minister if she looks after the interests of Bengal more than the rest of the country, Banerjee said, "I will look after the interests of people across the country and at the same time the people of the state as much as possible. So the tag 'regional' would be unwarranted".     

"Bengal has been neglected for years together even though 41 MPs belonging to the Left and Congress had represented the state in the 14th Lok Sabha. I am committed to look after the interests of the people all over the country, but I would also help implement various projects in my state," she said.     

Apparently rattled by the tag of 'regional Railway minister', she said no one had so when the Railways had been looked after by ministers from Bihar for so many years.

On Metro Railway expansion from Tollygunge to Garia, the minister said although most of the expansion project had been completed, work in the last two-km stretch had been halted because of 120 families who needed to be shifted and rehabilitated.     

She said she would sympathetically consider the plight of the families who would be affected if the expansion was to be completed in the last two-km stretch.     

Asked on the deterioration of quality of food served in the Rajdhani express, she said stress would be given on improving both quality and quantity of the food.     

Referring to the Sixth Pay Commission, she said the Railways has to bear the burden of Rs 14,000 crore to implement it and this would be entirely met through internal resources. This, she said, would have no adverse impact on infrastructure development.