Mamata's Vision 2020 document being implemented: Trivedi

Railway minister Dinesh Trivedi on Sunday said the Vision 2020 document, prepared by predecessor Mamata Banerjee, is being implemented and the results will be seen in the next few years.

"I am implementing the project document prepared by Didi (Mamata) during her tenure and we are making progress," Trivedi said flagging off the Sealdah-Puri Duranto Express here.

He said in the next three-four years, great results will be seen in communication network in Bengal and elsewhere.

The minister flagged off the Duranto Express from Barrackpore station, in the northern suburbs, while the train actually left from Sealdah junction the moment Trivedi's image was beamed on TV screen there.

Trivedi said another Sealdah-Barrackpore local would be introduced, while the West Bengal Chief Minister's proposal for a Sealdah-New Jalpaiguri Shatabdi Express was being considered.

On the Barrackpore-Baranagar metro project, he said some problems about the existing Palta waterworks pipeline under B T Road have been sorted out and foundation work has started in some stretches. "The work for the project will start soon."

Trivedi, who represents Barrackpore seat in the Lok Sabha, also announced plans to turn the Kanchrapara railworkshop into a world-class engineering loco workshop in the near future.

About new plans, he said, "Since the railway budget preparations are on we can't divulge much but personally I would like to transform the Barrackpore station as a junction on the lines of Howrah, Sealdah where new mail, local trains could terminate journey."

"I would also like to have the Metro extended up to Kalyani in the northern tips," he said.

The minister said 32 local trains and 10 mail/express trains would be introduced in future.

Union Minister of State for Shipping, Mukul Roy, who was also present requested the Railways to create a new terminus at Sodpur station.

, in Howrah-Barrackpore section of Sealdah Main line considering the population growth in the northern suburbs. Dumdum Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy urged for creating underpass at Sodpur and Bengharia stations in the section.