Apart from saying thanks to Bengal for the favourable LS result by showering the state with trains and more, railway minister Mamata Banerjee has done her bit to try to de-congest urban Kolkata and thus pamper her constituency, Kolkata South.

In her budget, Banerjee has proposed a feasible study for introduction of energy efficient rail-based system in Kolkata, and has sought to ease the traffic issue by introducing better metro connectivity. Banerjee said the proposed system will be targeted at providing connectivity to the existing suburban system in the most efficient economic way. At least, three million people travel daily from the suburbs to the city for work.

With a mere 6% of roads and a capacity to hold only 16.2 million people, the city is already reeling under pressure, especially at peak traffic hours.

According to a survey by the state government, the population of the Kolkata municipal area shall touch 22 million by 2025 from around 5 million.

To de-congest the city, and with one eye on the 2011 Assembly elections where city infrastructure will be an issue, Banerjee has sought to address the urban difficulties.

She has started with Howrah, the main railway station, which is a nightmare to handle at all times of the day. In order to release the congestion on Howrah station, Banerjee has proposed to segregate suburban services while introducing upgraded facilities.

Suburban services will be shifted to Saltgola, relieving Howrah of suburban passenger pressures.

In the 2009-10 budget, Banerjee has also proposed extension of metro services to Dakshineswar and Barrackpore from Dumdum, thus taking care of north Kolkata as well. In south, the track is already being extended up to Garia. According to sources, the railways has already completed the survey for the construction of a new line for the extension of metro from Dum Dum to Dakshineswar.

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