No announcement for Mumbai's lifeline upsets commuters

Railway officials here today welcomed the announcements for Maharashtra in the Union Railway Budget 2016-17 which has got an outlay of Rs 4,767 crore, while Mumbai local train commuters dubbed the budget as "disappointing" with no sops for the megapolis.
According to the Pink Book of the budget issued by Central Railway PR department, Maharashtra's proportion in the budget 2016-17 has increased by 10 per cent in allocation from last year's Rs 4,458 crore to Rs 4767 crore this year.
Railway ministry has sanctioned 31 Road Over Bridge (ROBs), 35 subways apart from announcing seven surveys in seven different sections totaling 933 kms length tracks for Maharashtra.

Besides, works on 11 new routes, spanning 1,694 kms of rail network, will also be carried out. This would cost railway over Rs 28,143 crore to complete the laying down the tracks.
A senior CR official said that the ministry has allocated adequate budget and railway's thrust would be to execute the projects within the stipulated time-frame.
"Major development for the suburban section is that the ministry has given nod from the Neeti Ayog for Rs 11,000 crore MUTP-3 projects. Financial closures and early award of tenders for two elevated corridors Churchgate-Virar and SCT-Panvel are the other major announcements that would railways a big push," he said.

MUTP-3 mainly includes quadrupling of Virar-Dahanu (126 Route kms-Rs 3555 cr), doubling the tracks of Panvel-Karjat route (56 route kms-Rs 2024 crore) and Airoli-Kalwa Corridor link (8 Route kms-Rs 428 crore).

Meanwhile, city-based activist Anil Galgali said city's lifeline suburban locals will continue to be "death line" as Railway minister Suresh Prabhu, who despite belonging from Mumbai, did not care about 78 lakh passengers.
"Railway minister who himself hails from Mumbai has made a mockery of sentiments of 78 lakhs passengers of the city. No new trains..Same routine affair...Lifeline would continue to be death line," Galgali said.
A suburban commuter from neighbouring Bhayandar Pramod Harlalka said, "As a commuter, I am very shocked to learn that Railway minister has completely missed out to pay attention towards Mumbai. We were expecting announcements on more trains, better facilities, installations of CCTV cameras."

Businessman Pratik Keni said, "Initiatives for rail safety on suburban lines like increase of platform height, FOBs ROBs is commendable but he failed on key issues of capacity addition and over crowding of local trains.