Punjab is all set to be back on the rails. The maiden Railway Budget of the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government gave the State five new trains, including New Delhi-Bhatinda Shatabdi Express.
The Railway Budget for 2014-15, presented by Union Railways Minister Sadanand Gowda on Tuesday, has sent the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab chugging on the fast track of happiness, while the Congress has dubbed it as derailment of the border State’s interest.
The Centre has announced a Shatabdi Express train for the State, running between New Delhi and Bhatinda twice a week. Besides, the Railways Minister has also announced a special train connecting all major Sikh shrines.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his pre-poll visit to the holy city of Amritsar to campaign for BJP candidate Arun Jaitley, had shared his dream of starting a ‘yatri train’ — a direct train running from Patna Sahib to Amritsar Sahib specially dedicated for the purpose having in-built facilities of kirtan, langar, bath, and decorated keeping in view the guru parampara”.
Already, the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) is running Panj Takht Darshan covering five takhts — Akal Takht Sahib, Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Takht Sri Patna Sahib, and Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib — by road, train, and air.
Centre has also announced Ferozepur-Chandigarh Express which would run six days a week. The train, which ran between March and June this year, will now run permanently from State capital via Mohali, ludhiana, Moga, and reach Ferozepur after four-hour journey.
The Union Minister also announced Saharsa-Amritsar Jansadharan Express train, while provision has been made for a weekly train between Nagpur and Amritsar.
Apart from these, the other trains passing through the State would also benefit Punjab —Indore–Jammu Tawi Express (weekly), Kamakhya–Katra Express (Weekly) via Darbhanga and Kanpur–Jammu Tawi Express (Biweekly). 54602 ludhiana–Hisar Passenger has been extended to Sadulpur. The budget has also made provision for carrying out survey at Hoshiarpur-Amb-Andora railway line.
In addition, announcement has also been made to establish world class food court at Amritsar Railway station — apparently giving a fillip to the State’s tourism sector in the border region.
“It is a growth-oriented and passenger-friendly budget which would propel all-round development and prosperity in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brainchild to introduce ‘bullet trains’ in the country would put India on global map of world class railways and the day is not far off when India would be reckoned internationally as a front runner nation amongst the high speed railways …Announcement to start five new trains would certainly boost trade and commercial activity in the state besides providing rail connectivity to landlocked state of Punjab.
—Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister
“Rail Budget is a dream budget for Punjab as it has given state's overdue share. Railways is a lifeline of Indian economy and Modi has put his stamp on the budget aiming to transform its fortune. Announcement of PPP to strengthen infrastructure in railway is a step towards modernisation of British era network”
—Sukhbir Badal, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, SAD president
“Voice of Bathinda has been heard after a decade at the Centre with the announcement of New Delhi–Bathinda Shatabdi express. I am thankful to railway minister Sadananda Gowda for not only acceding to my request for a bi-weekly Shatabdi train from Bathinda to Delhi, but also for announcement of four more new trains to Punjab. Never before has Punjab’s name been mentioned so many times while unveiling the Rail budget”
—Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister, Bathinda MP
“It is the start of acche din for Punjab as it is for the first time in the history of railways that our state has been given such an importance in this budget. Announcement of new trains would prove a turning point in the rail history of Punjab to improve its connectivity with different parts of the country, besides starting special trains to run on Sikh Circuit is the long pending demand of Punjab region that has been fulfilled in this budget by the Union Railway Ministry”
—Kamal Sharma, Punjab BJP president
“There is nothing to cheer about railway budget…Budget needs to be viewed in the backdrop of unprecedented fare and tariff hike imposed a few weeks ago ahead of the actual budget by the government which makes it harshest rail budget in the recent memory…Railway minister has not come out with any substantial proposal for preventing railway accidents…Introduction of new trains is nothing new as it is just the annual routine as railways always introduces new trains. Introducing the idea of food courts or wifi connectivity are just high in rhetoric symbolism and low on actual content as these will, even if actually started, hardly make any difference to the passengers”
—Capt Amarinder Singh, Amritsar MP, Congress Deputy leader in lok Sabha
“This border state has been derailed in the railway budget…no new rail line has been announced for this border state. This budget has failed to reflect any new thinking on the part of Narendra Modi government.
—Partap Singh Bajwa, Punjab Congress president