The Hindu : Karnataka News : Mixed reaction to Lalu Prasad's proposals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 27, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Mixed reaction to Lalu Prasad's proposals

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, FEB. 26. The Railway Budget presented today by the Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, evoked mixed reaction from the people here.

While people have welcomed the proposed introduction of seven new trains in Karnataka, they wonder whether three of them will become a reality in a year as they come with a rider that they will be introduced only after the completion of gauge conversion works.

Ghanashyam, a businessman, hopes that the Mangalore-Shravanabelagola passenger train will be introduced in time for the Mahamasthakabhisheka of the famous Bahubali statue, scheduled for February 8, 2006.

Internet booking

Meena Venu, a bank employee, says she is happy that train booking will become easier as Internet booking is being offered from 4 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. from March 15. . The proposal to allow booking tickets using landlines along with mobile phones is also a welcome move. She is happy that the fares have not been increased.

`Disappointment'

Prakash Mandoth, president of Rajasthan Samaj Railway Sangharsh Samithi, described the budget as a "big disappointment" as none of the demands for long distance trains from Bangalore to Varanasi, Jammu, Dehra Dun and Amritsar has been conceded by Mr. Prasad.

The least the Minister could have done is to extend the Chennai-Varanasi Ganga Cauvery and Dehra Dun-Chennai Chandigarh Express up to Yeshwanthpur, he said.

An official of the SWR, on the condition of anonymity, said that Bangalore division has shown over 11.6 per cent increase in passenger traffic but new trains are not being sanctioned to match the growth.

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