Mamata asks not to block trains as a means of protest

Railway minister Mamata Banerjee today appealed to her political opponents to refrain from blocking trains as a means of protest as, in most cases, the agitations have nothing to do with the railways.

"I welcome my opponents to fight me politically, but do not hurt innocent passengers by calling frequent bandhs and blockades," Banerjee said while inaugurating an express and two local trains at Dhakuria station in Kolkata.

She also criticised the recent Bharat Bandh and transport strike in West Bengal.

Railway tracks have become the favourite squatting places for some to protest against anything from fuel price rise to local issues, Banerjee said, adding "at least 1.5 crore people travel daily by trains in the country and such disruptions cause immense harassment to the people."

Claiming that during her tenure the state had got several trains, she said, "but I am not parochial. Other parts of the country have also got their share."

Banerjee said the Eastern freight corridor will come up soon and the survey work has already been completed for a 50km stretch between Dankuni and Burdwan of Eastern Railway.

The railway minister flagged off a weekly express train from Asansol to the seaside resort of Digha in the southern tip of Bengal, a ladies special between Sealdah and Barasat and another EMU local between Barasat and Hasnabad in the Eastern Railway zone.