Rail agitation in Marathwada on Sunday

AURANGABAD, JUNE 23: A major railway agitation will take place all over Marathwada on Sunday when scores of business, social, youth and students’ organisation will block all trains running from the region between 9 am to 12 noon, to demand immediate commencement of work on approved broad-gauge conversions, laying of new lines and new trains. The agitation is being held under the aegis’ of the popular Marathwada Vikas Parishad and Railway Passenger Sanghatana, led by veteran freedom fighter Padmavibhushan Govindbhai Shroof.

After the two decade-long violent, agitation in the 70’s and 80’s to demand railway line conversion between Manmad and Nanded, this is the first time political parties, students and social organisation are polarising under a common issue in the region, where the railway network is a bare minimum.

People in Beed district for example, are yet to see a train run through their district.

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Among the demands that the current agitation will concentrate upon will be beginning of work between Parli-Beed-Nagar and Purna-Akola-Khandawa, a project which has already been sanctioned by the Railway Ministry.

The Parishad has asked the Railways to release a fund of Rs 100 crore for the project and set a deadline of Diwali for the work to begin. Conversation of the meter-gauge lines between Mukhed-Adilabad, Mukhed-Nizambad, Latur Kurudwadi into broad-gauge, and approval for laying of Railway lines between Latur road-Degloor-Bodhan, Retegaon-Kopargaon, Puntumba, Jalna-Khamgaon, Ghtanandur-Ambejogai in the current financial year.