Mumbai gets easy ride in railway budget
26 Feb 2013
Mumbai's myriad commuters may have an easier ride without having to pay more, as railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, in his budget presentation to Parliament, announced more services and safety measures.
In his rail budget for 2012-14, Bansal announced 72 additional services for Mumbai's suburban network.
He also said the long-delayed programme for air conditioned trains and electronic multiple unit (EMU) rakes on the suburban train network, could now allow Mumbai commuters to travel in air-conditioned coaches sometime during this fiscal.
Bansal further announced that Mumbai's much-publicised east-west elevated railway corridor would get a boost. He did not specify figures.
The railway minister also announced 72 additional train services in Mumbai to meet the dangerously burgeoning trainload in India's financial capital.
New trains or routing announced to and from Mumbai are:
- Hazrat Nizamuddin-Mumbai AC Express (weekly) via Bhopal, Khandwa, Bhusawal
- Hubli-Mumbai Express (weekly) Via Miraj, Pune
- Kakinada-Mumbai Express (Bi-weekly)
- Mumbai-Solapur Express (6 days a week) via Pune
- Mumbai CST-Latur Express to Hazoor Saheb Nanded
The minister also said the union cabinet had approved the linking of the Western Railway with the Konkan Railway.