RAILWAY HOPES

Mamata Banerjee brings new hope in Cooch Behar

Miss Mamata Banerjee's inclusion in the Central cabinet of ministers as the Union railway minister has ushered enormous hope among the Trinamul Congress leaders and supporters in Cooch Behar.

Sate Trinamul Congress secretary Mr Abdul Jalil Ahmed said during her first term as the Union railway minister she had laid the foundation of the proposed New Mainaguri-Joghipa railway project. Now, her come back in the railway ministry may gear up the progress of work. Mr Ahmed hoped that the project might be completed by the stipulated period that was announced earlier.

An enthusiastic Trinamul activist, Mr Narayan Modak said that the proposals for turning the New Cooch Behar and Cooch Behar town railway stations as model stations were pending for a long. These may be implemented this time under guidance of Miss Banerjee, Mr Modak hopes.

District Trinamul Congress general secretary Mr Partha Nath Sarkar hoped that the new railway minister might take up the revival of proposed railway service to Kolkata via Gitaldaha of Dinhata through Bangladesh. Previously, by this train service one was able to reach Kolkata from this region within eight hours, instead of 18 to 24 hours. Restoration of the train service through Bangladesh may boost up the local socio economic situation, Mr Sarkar believes.

District Trinamul Congress vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta said a vast area of Cooch Behar district is suffering from annual floods and round-the-year river erosion problems for a long. Dishonest officials of concerned departments have misused the allotted funds. There is a tendency among a section of officials to let the contractors earn a lot during the monsoon. This should not be allowed forever. Mr Dutta hoped that Miss Banerjee might take an initiative to save the erosion-affected rural people of Tufanganj and other areas of Cooch Behar district.

Another vice-president, Mr Girindra Nath Barman expects implementation of the much-awaited double line between New Jalpaiguri and Bongaigaon. The introduction of the double line may ease the railway traffic in this region, Mr Roy believes.

Ex-president of district Trinamul Youth Congress, Mr Shibendra Nath Roy said, "We harvested a good result in the Lok Sabha election in this district. The people of this constituency came out to support us in larger numbers than they did in previous elections. This time we largely narrowed the difference. In the next Assembly elections we must teach lessons to the Left Front by snatching out all the seats from them.