News and pics: Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai (EP)
Mumbai, June 9: Bantara Sangha, Bhivandi-Badlapura regional committee has written to the newly appointed Union Minister of Railways, D V Sadananda Gowda congratulating him.
They said that they are proud to have a minister from their region; that a person with a smiling face has the become Union Minister of Railways.
The office bearers, president Dayashanker P Shetty and advisor Nadyodiguthu Bhaskar S Shetty have sent a list of their hopes and aspirations with regard to the railways; they are as follows:
It is necessary for the Konkan Railways to upgrade the railway stations. Basic facilities such as water, bathroom and canteen facilities are weak and require quick development. Most of the railway stations have only 15% to 20% of roof and nearly 80% of open space. Passengers waiting for trains are made to struggle for protection from the rain and sun.
More than a lac people from the coastal regions are living in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and nearby Thane and Kalyan areas. There should at least be one express, Durento or Shatabdi model train on the Mumbai-Mangalore route every hour.
For the convenience of thousands of people from Thane district the weekly train that runs between Pune and Ernakulam should run till
Kalyan instead of via Karjal to Panvel.
As most people prefer to travel in AC compartments, the AC bogies in trains should be increased by one or two.
Tatkal reservation system should be abandoned as there are more disadvantages than advantages in the system.
The time limit of 60 days for advance reservation should be reviewed and uniform and permanent rules should be introduced.
When passengers do not get the coach they reserved for and are suggested to travel by lower classes, the difference between the cost of meals is being refunded in all trains. When the cost of meals are increased, the railways also prepare the details of charges payable by the passengers. The same rules should apply while repaying the charges.
Residents of Dakshina Kannada are spread in all corners of the country for trade and employment. So Mangalore should be connected to different parts of the country and new trains should be introduced to Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Hyderabad.
As per assurance by the BJP during election rallies, a new South Western Region should be started and Mangalore Central and Mangalore Junction stations should be brought under Konkan Railways.
The development of Konkan Railways should be a new door to the development of six states including Maharastra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra and Telangana and coastal regions in particular. The second line work of Konkan Railways should be started on priority
after approval of the project.
Cleanliness should be given importance at railway stations, offices, platforms, bathrooms, trains and train tracks.
Priority sholud be given to safety and it should be implemented by deploying two to four RPF jawans in the Konkan Railways. It is also necessary to employ jawans in night trains in order to save lives and property; it will also create jobs and fulfill the needs for safety.
In order to protect passengers from anti-social and anti-national elements, it should be ensured that unauthorized persons do not enter
reserved compartments especially at nights.
A prompt and disciplined catering service should be deployed to cater to the needs of passengers and clean drinking water should be made available to the passengers at nominal rates.
Indian Railways is like an organ of development of every Indian. It can be observed that a place connected by the railways is getting
developed. The sangha hopes that the railways will be developed by the new railway minister after consulting the Prime Minister.