Work on Western Corridor on time; left out projects on anvil

The Lok Sabha today passed the Appropriation (Railway) Bill, 2009, with Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee assuring that work on the Western Corridor was on schedule and left out projects like modernisation of the railway platforms in view of the Commonwealth Games and making tickets available at post offices will begin soon in right earnest.

Replying to the debate, Ms Banerjee acknowledged that there was delay in beginning certain projects but was categorical that her Ministry will spare no effort to commence these as soon as possible.

Ms Banerjee said as soon as the work was complete, the projects relating to the Eastern Corridor would begin. Reacting to critics that she was taking the work on the Eastern Corridor more seriously than the other Corridors, Ms Banerjee said such allegations had no substance and for her the mandate was India, not any particular section.

"Is it my fault that if I am from the East?" Ms Banerjee remarked.

The Minister's speech was characteristic of her, not hitting hard at her critics and Opposition parties, but taking everybody along with her. At one point, pointing to Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, she said, "Sir, you know how much time it takes to get an infrastructure project started." In another remark, she said,"Railway is my family, its employees will work for you(members). You take care of them." At another juncture she said,"It is not a concern to which party a Member belongs. He is a Member of the House whose dignity and honour I hold dear." She told the Members of the Left that she can go on to tell the projects which the CPI-M-led West Bengal government was handing over to the private sector and thus their charge that her Ministry was favouring public-private partnership projects to benefit private parties held no ground. "Will the money fall from the sky for the ambitious infrastructure projects of the Railways? If we don't undertake projects on the PPP mode they will never see the light of the day." Typical of her, Ms Banerjee's speech was missing in terms of many figures and too many hard facts. Her response often was emotional and appealing rather than taking on the adversaries.