Give Mumbai Rs 1,000 cr in railway budget: Naik

Former railway minister and senior BJP leader Ram Naik said Friday allocation for Mumbai Urban Transport Project I and II should be increased from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,000 crore in the upoming railway budget.

Naik has wirtten a letter to railway minister P K Bansal listing priorities for Mumbai commuters.

He demanded a change in the timetable, especially for commuters using Western Railway, considering that speed of suburban trains will increase from 80 km to 100 km per hour after conversion of DC to AC traction.

"The signal system has also been modernised. It is, therefore, necessary to prepare a new timetable taking into account the additional rake time available," Naik said.

The western line is the city's busiest. Approximately 1,250 locals run on it carrying about 35.5 lakh commuters every day. Naik cautioned the ministry over proposed elevated railway lines.

"The decision on elevated railway system should not be taken in a hurry. There has to be a full debate on its usefulness, economics and other relevant issues," he said.

Naik also demanded conversion of all trains to 12 or 15 coach to avoid overcrowding.

"The only short-term measure to reduce overcrowding of trains is to convert all nine coach rakes to 12 coach and subsequently 15 coach rakes," he said.

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