Mumbai expects Bengal budget

Mumbaikars have no city-friendly expectations of this year's railway budget scheduled to be announced today by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. Many feel they will be led around the bush this year as well.


Commuters feel that today's budget will be exactly the same as it was last year

Passengers expect to see a West Bengal budget rather than a Mumbai budget, since they feel that it will be exactly the same as it was last year.

Though Banerjee made several promises when she announced the budget last year, they all proved to be false or unfeasible.

In last year's railway budget, Banerjee's Mumbai-related announcements promised CST-Churchgate rail connection feasibility, improvement of ladies toilets at railway stations and CST and Thane to be world class station etc (see box), all these however, were simply announcements.

'Nothing for us'

Subhash Gupta, member of National Railway Users Consultative Committee (NRUCC), said, "The budget was just a lollypop for Mumbaikars and we got nothing.

There was a long list of announcements, but no implementation followed. We are not expecting anything out of this year's budget also and expect it will be West Bengal budget."

Sumaira Khan, resident of Nallasopara, said, "I don't expect anything from Mamata, we have not even got cleaner ladies toilets as she had promised last year."

Anup Singh, passenger from Titwala to Ghatkopar said, "Didi will pay more attention to West Bengal as the elections are nearing. We don't expect anything for Mumbaikars."

Where did it go?

Last year, a total of Rs 1,302 crore was provided for passenger amenities against Rs 927 crore for 2009-10.
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However, according to a railway official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, none of these tasks have been followed up or even discussed since many of those plans were not feasible or technically possible.

According to an unnamed senior railway official, one consolation is that the common man in Mumbai can rest easy since there are no plans to hike the cost of train ticket in this year's budget.

Also, this year's budget will cover passenger amenities, freight issues, reduce delays in infrastructure work etc, apart from safety and security issues, improvement of signaling systems, installing safety related technology like anti-collision devices and train protection warning system.


Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee

Dear Mamata Didi,
We, the commuters of Mumbai, want to let you know that there are certain problems that we face while commuting in the local trains. In the budget you will present today, we want you to please pay attention to some of our problems. We know your main focus would be on West Bengal, your home state, but we hope you will also pay heed to the problems of the aam aadmi in the financial capital of the country.

Here are our demands:
More trains, which are punctual
Lower fares
Additional ladies coaches and first class compartments
9-rake trains should be converted to 12-coach
Clean compartments and platforms

Yours truly,
Commuters of Western and Central Railway
(Compiled by Arvind Walmiki after speaking to 100 commuters on Mumbai local trains)

Unfulfilled promises
More Adarsh stations
Additional RPF and GRP personnel
Vasai Road-LTT station to be a multi-functional complex
Introduction of double decker AC trains between intercity stationsu00a0
Intercity bullet trains
Waiting list to be updated via SMS
Eco friendly toilets in trains (more than 2 hour commute)
Sports academy in Mumbai
Integrated security system at railway stations
Lifts and escalators at stations