CPM-backed CITU’s West Bengal unit secretary Kali Ghosh welcomed the move but wanted to know about the way how these units could be revived. “We welcome the Railway minister’s proposal for the revival of Burn Standard and Braithwaite Company Ltd. But the question is how the companies could be revived? Would it be departmentalised with the Railway board?” he asked.

The president of Trinamool-backed INTUC, Sobhandeb Chatterjee said that the decision is a milestone for Bengal’s revival.

“The Left parties have been using this issue for political mileage only. Now, Mamata Banerjee has shown that she is willing to support the downtrodden and the workers,” he said. The Braithwaite Co Ltd was announced as a sick industry and referred to Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction in 1992.