Priority will be given to the pending demands of Indian Railways projects in the Marathwada region and issues will be taken to Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray for discussion, Union Minister Raosaheb Danve said on Wednesday. Danve was quoted in a PTI report saying that there are seven key projects undertaken by the Ministry of Railways. These railway projects are to be completed by the year 2024. At present, efforts are on to push for the Mumbai – Nagpur high-speed train project, the minister said. Besides, priority will be given for the electrification as well as doubling of Manmad – Nanded rail track and pit line for the city of Aurangabad, Danve further said.
The Union Minister of State for Railways further mentioned that the issues the help of the state government is necessary will be taken up to Maharashtra’s Chief Minister. Meanwhile, the Railway Ministry was criticized by AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel for the delay in railway projects for the Marathwada region. The pending demands for railway projects are in limbo in the Marathwada region and are shelved without intimation, he further stated.
According to Rajya Sabha MP Fauzia Khan, a policy decision should be taken by the Central government on the Marathwada region irrespective of the rate of return (ROR). Shiv Sena MP from Parbhani Sanjay Jadhav further made allegations that the Nanded division of the South Central Railway zone was being ignored and it should be attached to the Indian Railways’ Central Railway zone.
Recently, the Central Railway GM inaugurated and inspected the new building of Combined Crew Running Room as well as Booking Lobby (Main Line) at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station. According to Central Railways, the newly commissioned G+5 building has a capacity of 192 number of beds which is the highest on the zonal railway with the provision of separate rooms as well as washrooms for lady crew members.