Sonia, Mamata share dais, inaugurate 12 new trains

Sharing a common platform, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee flagged off 12 new trains, including two Duranto and a Shatabdi, from the industrial city today.

Gandhi, speaking on the occasion, asked all political parties to rise above petty politics and support the Centre in taking Uttar Pradesh on the road to development.

"I want to place Uttar Pradesh on the trajectory of growth but it is possible only when all parties rise above petty politics and support the Central government," she said.

Gandhi said it was because of the policies pursued by the UPA government that the country was not much affected by the global financial meltdown.

"The government ensured sufficient financial assistance to all states, though it is a different issue whether the funds were rightly utilised."

Smiling and chatting, Gandhi and Railway Minister Banerjee flagged off 12 new trains, originating from different cities in Uttar Pradesh to various destinations in the country, at the function.

Nearly a month ago, Banerjee had attacked the Centre over galloping food prices and the Maoist threat in West Bengal.

Minister of State for Railways E Ahmed and K H Muniyappa, local Congress MP Sriprakash Jaiswal and several other leaders attended the function.

Banerjee said locals will be given preference in employment in the coach factory being set up in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh.

She said her ministry had fulfilled its promise to set up the coach factory which would become functional within a year.

The project is estimated to cost Rs 1,685 crore, the Minister said.

Provisions will be made to hold examinations for jobs in the Railways in all major languages, Banerjee said.

She agreed to local MP Sriprakash Jaiswal's demand for a Rail overbridge between Govindnagar and Dadanagar in the city.

The new trains flagged off were Kanpur-Delhi Shatabdi Express, Lucknow-New Delhi Duranto Express, Allahabad-New Delhi Duranto Express, Lucknow-Agra Intercity, Gorakhpur-Lokmanya Tilak Express, Bhopal-Pratapgarh Express, Varanasi-Jammu Tawi Express, Chapra-Mathura Express, Gorakhpur-Nautnava Express, Gorakhpur-Nautnava Passenger, Mathura-Kasganj Passenger and Lucknow-Yashwantpur Express.

Extension in the routes of seven trains was also announced including that of Gorakhpur Express, Udyog Nagri Express and Chambal Express.