Mumbai gets 72 services

Even though the railway budget has proposed 72 additional suburban rail services and elevation of Mumbai-Virar corridor, Mumbaikars are a disappointed lot. Reason: the announcement of 72 new services comes at a time when the proposal to start 75 additional services made during last year’s budget has not been implemented fully.

Every day, about 7.5 million people commute on Mumbai’s central, western and harbour raliway lines. Of the 75 services promised last year, political parties and representatives of passenger associations said only 18 new services had started both on the central and western railways, while others still remain on paper.

In this year’s budget, Railway Minister Bansal has not given any status report of the 75 new services announced last year or how the additional 72 services will be launched during 2013-14 amid incomplete upgradation of signalling system and constraints on the availability of rakes.

The railway minister has simply reiterated the announcement made by his predecessors over the commencement of air-conditioned (A/C) suburban railway services in Mumbai. He has, however, said the first A/C electric multiple unit (EMU) rake to be introduced in 2013-14.

Reacting to the railway budget, political parties cutting across affiliations have slammed the government for not doing any substantial to Mumbai despite it contributes over 40 per cent of the railways’ total annual revenue. Besides, National Railway Mazdoor Union also criticised the government for lack of increased provisions for the welfare of staff.

Rail passenger associations have also criticised the Centre for its casual approach towards safety and neglect towards the improvement of services. They also wanted to know the present status of redevelopment of slums situated along railway lines announced by former railways minister Dinesh Trivedi last year.

Bansal has not incorporated Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's suggestions to introduce nine new railway routes. However, Bansal has announced Rail Neer bottling plants at Nagpur, Skill Development Centre at Nagpur and Training institute at Nagpur for imparting training in rail related electronics technologies.

Bhai Jagtap, Congress legislator and state Congress spokesman admitted that the railways minister should have done more for Mumbai and Maharashtra. He, however, agreed that Bansal has put in place a comprehensive plan to upgrade passengers’ security.

On the other hand, NCP MPs Sanjeev Naik and Sameer Bhujbal expressed disappointment for sheer neglect towards Mumbai and launch of new trains from rest of Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena legislator Subhash Desai wanted to know why the Centre cannot plough back funds to strengthen rail infrastructure Mumbai despite its major contribution to the railway's annual revenue.

State BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari assailed the Centre for neglecting problems faced by Mumbai rail commuters and not providing additional finances.

Shailendra Kamble, representative of the Committee for the Rights of Railway Passengers, called for agitation against Centre's step-motherly treatment towards Mumbaikars. He said it was simply unacceptable that despite repeated suggestions made to the Railways Board and the ministry, there has not been any mention to improve rail services.