Thaindian News

Hoogly, June 4 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday alleged that indifferent attitude of the railway ministry was responsible for “zero progress” in projects related to the state from 2001 to 2008.

“From 2001 to 2008, there had been zero progress on railway projects in Bengal. During my tenure as railway minister (1999-2001 during the BJP-led NDA rule), I had sanctioned various projects but everything got stalled after we left the ministry,” said Banerjee.

The period mentioned by the chief minister includes the first Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government which was in power from 2004-2009. Banerjee had two stints in the railway ministry - from 1999 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2011.

Banerjee was speaking at the inauguration of the newly-constructed Arambagh-Tarakeswar broad gauge railway line at Arambagh in Hooghly district Monday. She was accompanied by Railway Minister Mukul Roy.

Accusing previous railway ministers for not allotting funds for the projects, she said, “During my tenure as railway minister in 2000, I had proposed this railway track, but after I left the ministry everything got stalled.”

“Many people criticise that Mamata Banerjee had announced so many projects during her first term as the railway minister but many of these projects have not seen the light of the day,” she said.

Banerjee also said that several railway stations in the state will be named after some eminent people from Bengal.

“The Arambagh railway station will be named after former chief minister of Bengal Prafulla Chandra Sen; the Mayapur railway station will be named after Raja Ram Mohan Roy; the Talpur railway station will be named after renowned writer Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay,” she said.