Naik flays rail budget

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has given step-motherly treatment to Mumbai in the budget presented today, former Minister of State for Railways Ram Naik alleged.

"Mamata has not said a single word about when the MUTP - I Project, the lifeline for 70 lakh suburban commuters of Mumbai will be completed.

"She has also not mentioned anything about the time-table of MUTP-II in her budget speech," Naik said here.

Commuters were expecting that she will declare the date of commencement of Western Railway''s Virar-Dahanu suburban trains. This expectation has not been fulfilled. She has also not given the revised timetable for making all the suburban trains with 12 coaches under MUTP-I, the BJP leader said.

"No direction is given in this budget to bring the derailed finances of Railways on the track. That is why, though numbers of projects are declared, when and how they will be completed remains a big question," he added.