RAILWAY DEMANDS

Demands to new railway minister

Following Miss Mamata Bannerjee's re-entry into Union cabinet as the railway minister expectations and demands are increasing in different quarters.

In his letter to the Union railway minister an ex-MP (Rajya Sabha) of Cooch Behar Mr Prasenjit Barman demanded introduction of double broad gauge line from New Jalpaiguri to New Bongaigaon, completion of the new broad gauge line from New Maynaguri to Jogighopa, restoration of Malbazar-Changrabandha railway route, setting up of a coach manufacturing unit at New Cooch Behar, extension of better railway facilities upto Bamanhat from Alipurduar Junction, extension of Uttar Banga Express and Kanchan Kanya Express upto Dinhata, stoppage of Howrah-Guwahati Garib Rath at New Cooch Behar, manning of all railway level crossings and setting up of offices of Railway Recruitment Board and Railway Service Commission in Cooch Behar.

In another letter, district Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh appealed to their Didi to set up a coach-repairing factory at New Cooch Behar. It may create vast opportunities for the unemployed youths of this area, he believes. He also mentioned the need of introduction of BG double line upto New Bongaigaon, daily running of Uttar Banga Express, speedy completion of New Maynaguri-Jogighopa railway project, setting up of an office of Railway Recruitment Board in Cooch Behar, introduction of intercity super-fast train service from Cooch Behar town station to Malda via Siliguri, new passenger train from Bamanhat to Baharampur via Raiganj and Malda, a new Dinhata-New Delhi super-fast train, restoration of Changrabandha-Malbazar train service and stoppage of Garib Rath at New Cooch Behar.

President of Cooch Behar Zilla Byabosayee Samity, Mr Bimal Kumar Saha too placed an 11-point charter of demands to the railway minister. In his letter he pointed out the need of introduction of computerised ticket booking counters at Dinhata, Mathabhanga, Tufanganj and Mekhliganj. Making of Cooch Behar and New Cooch Behar railway stations as model stations, as promised previously, also came up in Mr Saha's letter.