Railway minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to increase the frequency of Duronto Express and increase number of suburban trains in the Railway Budget on Friday. It may be recalled that Ms Banerjee during her last Budget had announced over 120 projects for home state. This also included infrastructure projects to attract investments in the state.
However, the CPI(M) has already gone on record saying that it “has no expectation” from the Railway Budget. The party claimed that: “Mamata has nothing new to offer for Bengal.”
Sources, however, maintained that this would be Ms Banerjee’s last and main platform to woo the Bengal voters. Therefore, “Her populist agenda would take precedence.” If Trinamul Congress wins the polls, she could be presenting her last Railway Budget. The Trinamul supremo is targeting the Bengal chief minister’s chair.
However, a railway official pointed out that there has been little movement on key projects like dedicated freight corridor, world class stations, the Jammu and Kashmir rail project and high speed passenger corridors. “For her its been Bengal only,” an official claimed. “Railway safety is another key issue Ms Banerjee has to focus on,” he said. There has been a series of train accidents during Ms Banerjee’s tenure as railway minister. Fingers were also being point at her for running the ministry from Bengal. However, despite criticism, Ms Banerjee continues to run her ministry from her home state, sources said.