Title - Rail Budget 2013: Delhi-Mumbai Express via Nashik to run on lines of Rajdhani

NASHIK: While the railway budget for 2013-14 announced on Tuesday did not include provisions to upgrade the Nashik Road railway station, a weekly Mumbai-Delhi airconditioned express train to be introduced will run via Nashik on the lines of the Rajdhani Express.


"We had proposed to the Railway Board that an airconditioned train be introduced between Mumbai and Delhi via Bhopal. The demand was supported by members of parliament from Thane, Nashik and adjoining regions. The railway minister has announced the weekly train in the budget. We will take efforts to ensure that the train is run on the lines of the Rajdhani Express," Central Railways general manager Subodh Jain said.

The Rajdhani Express has a different set of rakes and modalities enabling the train to run at high speeds. According to senior officials, all the required systems will be in place by the time the schedule for the train is announced.

"At present we have the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Haridwar air-conditioned train on the same route. The new weekly train will, however, be different as the primary understanding given to us is that it will have fewer halts, which could mean higher speeds and better facilities," a senior official from Central Railways said.

The lack of provisions for renovation of Nashik Road station or for construction of a new terminus has attracted the displeasure of Nashikites.

"It is a disappointment to see the city and north Maharashtra being paid no attention as far as infrastructure development is concerned. Considering that the city will host the Kumbh mela in 2015, we expected some budgetary allocations," Nashik MP Sameer Bhujbal said.

He said he would try to emphasise the need to develop Nashik Road station during discussions on the budget, with the help of senior leaders like Sharad Pawar. "I think I will be able to draw the railway minister's attention to the matter through discussions," Bhujbal said.

Manohar Patil, divisional railway advisory committee member and president of the Nashik Zilla Railway Pravasi Sanghatana, said the railways should have at least sanctioned construction of new platforms at the station. "It is unfortunate that the railways garners good business form Maharashtra but fails to give anything in return," he said.

Bipin Gandhi, president of Rail Parishad, a Devlali-based non-governmental association, criticised the increase in fares of superfast trains. "We have opposed the high charges for super fast trains, such as the Panchavati Express and Godavari Express, since six years ago. Even now, the railways have talked of no development here, but are placing a heavier burden on the pockets of citizens. We condemn the budget," Gandhi said.

Rail Parishad member Devidas Pandit, however, said that he was happy that railways had banned plastic throughout the country. "We had earlier filed a Public Interest Litigation in this regard," he said.