Peace needed in State for development, says Mamata

BISHNUPUR WB, SEPT 5: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday called for restoring peace in West Bengal, saying the State could not ...

BISHNUPUR WB, SEPT 5: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday called for restoring peace in West Bengal, saying the State could not move forward on the fast track of development if an atmosphere of terror persisted.

quot;We want to create an atmosphere congenial for development, which cannot be done if an atmosphere of terror persists,quot; Banerjee said here after laying the foundation of the new broad gauge line between Bishnupur and Tarakeshwar.

In an apparent reference to the political violence in some parts of the State, she said West Bengal had a wealth of talent and rich culture, quot;which should not be misused if we are to emerge on topquot;.

Coming down on her political opponents in the State, the Minister said quot;some people complain that we only lay foundation stones, but do not complete the projects. This is not at all true. At least ten new trains have been introduced in the State since I took over this ministryquot;.

Banerjee announced that the Howrah-Ahmedabad Superfast Express would start running by December, while the Howrah-Purulia Express would have an additional stop at Jhantipahari.

Asserting that the ongoing railway projects in the state would be completed as per schedule, she said quot;we won8217;t start any project which does not have the necessary clearancesquot;.

Banerjee alleged that the State Government8217;s tardiness in handing over the land to her ministry had delayed the Digha-Tamluk and Eklakhi-Balurghat railway projects and urged the Government to give speedy clearance for land.

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She said the first phase of the Eklakhi-Balurghat railway line would be completed soon and Rs 40 crore has been sanctioned for the ongoing survey for the Bankura-Damodar line.

On the 85-km Bishnupur-Tarakeshwar line, she said the work would start from both ends. quot;I have directed the South Eastern Railway to begin work from Bishnupur, and Eastern Railway to start from Tarakeshwarquot;.

Rs 25 crore has been set aside in the 2000-2001 outlay for the project, with an estimated total cost of Rs 260 crore. The final location survey of the 26 km stretch between Tarakswar and Arambagh has already been completed and that between Bishnupur and Arambagh was in progress.

Eastern Railway General Manager IIMS Rana and his South Eastern Railway counterpart R K Thoubal were present at the programme.

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Banerjee donated Rs 5 lakh for the welfare of gangmen of Adra division.

Mamata backtracks

NEW DELHI:After spewing venom over the Centre8217;s apathy to her woes in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee has virtually given up her resignation threat. A day after she threatened to resign from the Union Cabinet, the Trinamool Congress chief spoke to the PM and assured him that she wouldn8217;t do anything that would rock the government.