Railway budget is curate’s egg, says Jayalalithaa
By IANSWednesday, February 24, 2010
CHENNAI - AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa Wednesday termed Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s budget as the proverbial curate’s egg - good in parts and bad in parts - but also complimented the minister for not hiking passenger fares.
Jayalalithaa, in a statement issued here, said Banerjee’s assurance that there would be no privatisation of the railways “is reassuring while her call for private participation in funding railway projects is realistic”.
From Tamil Nadu’s point of view, Jayalalithaa termed the budget as a mixed bag.
Jayalalithaa welcomed budget announcements relating to modernisation the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Perambu and plans to set up a second unit, bettering outlay for Metro rail, gauge conversion, and electrification.
She also expressed her dismay over the absence of any statement about the Coastal Railway Line between Chennai and Puducherry via Mamallapuram.
“The announcement that aspirants taking the Railway Service Commission examinations can do so in regional languages as well would be a great boost to the depressed classes,” she said.
