Bidar Chamber of Commerce and Industry has praised the Railway Budget as passenger–friendly with a long-term vision. There are several promises on passenger amenities, safety and security, but the government’s intentions will be tested in their implementation, B.G. Shetkar, Bidar chamber president, said.
The assurance of laying 100 kilometres of railway lines every month, measures for women’s safety, provision of facilities like Wi-Fi in select stations, benefits to senior citizens and cleanliness of all railway property are welcome, he said.
However, he lamented that the budget was city-centric and neglected small towns and villages. Most of the statements in the budget pertain to 30 per cent of urban India. It neglects the 70 per cent of the country that lives in rural areas. “If all new benefits and amenities are given only to metro areas, what are the people in villages and small towns supposed to do?’’, he asked.
He felt that all new innovations and schemes announced for metros should be extended to the whole country.
He also expressed his displeasure at the fact that there were no new trains. Nor an assurance from the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu that all pending projects will be completed within a particular time frame. “There is no mention of automation of the public grievance redressal system,” he said.
