Mamata promises better hygiene on trains

September 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee will flag off two non-stop Duronto Sewa trains before the Durga Puja festival begins Sep 25. "Indian Railways will be starting at least two Duronto Sewa trains, from New Delhi to Sealdah and New Delhi to Chennai," a senior ministry official said.

August 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday flagged off the the first "Ladies Special" train here for women commuters from Delhi to Palwal in Haryana and said the service would be extended to other nearby cities Sonepat, Aligarh and Ghaziabad soon. "More 'Ladies Special' trains will be provided in the other suburban areas like Sonepat, Aligarh and Ghaziabad," Banerjee said.

July 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Indian Railways has over 1.7 lakh vacancies for various grades, which will be filled in after reviving the existing recruitment process, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee informed the Rajya Sabha today. Replying to a question, Banerjee said the review of the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) would also examine regional aspirations and problems raised during the railway recruitment process in Maharashtra, Assam, and Karnataka.

July 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to reply to the general discussion on rail budget on Thursday in Lok Sabha. The Railway budget is still under discussion in both houses of parliament.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday introduced dedicated air-conditioned trains at affordable tariff for the youth, terming them as an asset for the country. I will run Yuva trains dedicated specifically for the young generation, Banerjee said in her budget speech in parliament Friday.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee will present a "pro-people" budget today. Talking to reporters here, Mamata said, "It will be a pro-people budget, a simple budget, people's budget." She said that she only got 15 days to work on it, as the concerned officials were busy preparing it.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has arrived in Parliament to present a "pro-people" budget today. Before arriving at Parliament, Mamata said, "It will be a pro-people budget, a simple budget, people's budget." She said that she only got 15 days to work on it, as the concerned officials were busy preparing it.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee introduced non-stop train services between major cities as she unveiled her 2009-10 budget proposals in parliament Friday. The 12 services will be called 'Duronto' (spirited), she said.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - It has been dubbed a populist budget by critics but the rail budget presented Friday by Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee has enough goodies targeted at the ordinary rail traveller: - No increase in fares - New 'izzat' scheme for poor to travel up to 100 km for Rs.25 - Low-cost, air-conditioned 'yuva trains' for youth at Rs.299-Rs.399 - New scheme for good quality food at affordable prices - Special Trains to ferry perishable farm produce, rural craft - Promise of clean toilets, potable water at stations, trains - Tatkal scheme made more passenger-friendly, service charge cut to Rs.100 - New scheme for poor passengers to travel with 'dignity' - A doctor at your service in every long-distance train - 50 stations to be upgraded into world class facilities - 12 new non-stop trains between key stations

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in parliament house Friday morning to present her ministry's budget for this fiscal, promising to address the demands of the average passenger. "My budget will be of the people, by the people and for the people," Banerjee told reporters before leaving for parliament house to present the railway budget in Lok Sabha, the lower house.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Presenting a promised 'pro-people' budget, the Railways Minister, Mamata Banerjee, said on Friday that economic viability is not the only index of development. Banerjee proposed no increase in passenger fares or freight tariff while announcing a slew of measures, including the launch of 12 non-stop point-to-point long-distance trains and air-conditioned double-decker coaches for inter-city travel.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, presenting the rail budget for 2009-10 in parliament Friday, said all railway zones have been instructed to ensure availability of 'Janata Khana' - national and regional cuisines - on trains. "National and regional cuisines will be introduced and priority would be given to provision of good quality food, drinking water and toilet facilities and ensure cleanliness on trains and stations," Banerjee said.

June 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has allocated equal work to her two Ministers of State E Ahmed and K H Muniyappa. According to a Railway Ministry notification, apart from her home state of West Bengal the Trinmool Congress leader has decided to keep the states like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra under her direct supervision.

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railways Minister Lalu Prasad is set to present the country's interim rail budget for the next fiscal in parliament Friday, with an expectation that he would once again spare the average citizen from fare hikes and introduce some new trains. The minister had presented all the five previous rail budgets for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government since 2004, during which he set a record of sorts in terms of generating revenues despite lowering fares.

January 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Dismissing a public interest petition on trains often running late, the Delhi High court Wednesday said it does not have a magic wand to solve all problems. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah pulled up the petitioner who was seeking directions to the government to run trains on time.