TC members elated with rail budget for State
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 25 2011: The timing is perfect and it may not be related at all, but the unprecedented rail Budget earmarked for Manipur by the Union Railways Minister, Mamta Banerjee, just a few days after her party's (Trinamool Congress) candidate, won the by election to the Konthoujam by election, is just the sort of political ammos that the State unit of the party was waiting for.

Her announcement to set up a diesel locomotive centre has given a new impetus and could prove to be a road map for the party workers in the State in the ensuing 10th Assembly elections likely to be held next year.

While presenting the Railway Budget in the Parliament today, Mamata, besides pointing out the new package, also announced plans to set up new railway lines in Manipur.

Landlocked Manipur has a railhead at Jiribam sub-division bordering Assam and construction of a new rail line connecting Jiribam and Tupul in Tamenglong district about 27 Kms from Imphal is underway in full-swing.

Felicitation programme of TC MLA elect K Sarat

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone of the 98-km rail line in November 2004 and it was declared as a National project in February 2005 .

Now the line will be extended up to Imphal and necessary survey has been done, official sources said adding that the line from Jiribam up to Imphal is targeted for completion by March 2014 with a revised estimated cost of Rs 2714 crore.

"We are happy with our National party leader Mamataji in announcing the unprecedented railway related package for our State in today's rail budget presentation.

None of the Ministers had ever incorporated Manipur in the past budgets.

She is determined to work for the betterment of the State," Manipur unit TC president and former Lok Sabha MP Kim Gangte, said.

"Her (Mamata) announcement shows that she really cares for the people of North East and Manipur in particular and she will continue to do so," Kim added.

Besides giving a new impetus to develop the State, the new rail project will also solve the unemployment problem in Manipur to a certain extent, Kim said.

On the upcoming 10th Assembly elections, Kim said her party will go together with like-minded parties to defeat what she termed as the 'anti-people' Congress.

"Our leader Mamataji is practical and efficient nad has tuned in into the political scenario in Manipur.

We will do our best to go by her (Mamata) instructions to ensure a great victory in the coming polls for which we have now begun the ground work," Kim added.