Click to play videoNew Delhi: As a Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee threw the Tatas out of Singur but in her new avataar (role) as India's Railway Minister, she has had a change of heart. After proposing a rail coach factory in the abandoned Tata Motors site in Singur, Mamata Banerjee is now going all out to woo the industry.
In an open invitation to the industry to participate in building railway infrastructure, Mamata Banerjee said, “My vision 2020 cannot be achieved without you...please help me...I want your support.”
Mamata Banerjee has called for public private partnership for:
- Laying new railway lines.
- Manufacturing rail wagons and coaches.
- Building world class stations.
- Passenger amenities including toilets.
Director General SIAM Dilip Chenoy said, “It was an unprecedented open house discussion...lets see how much of it takes the shape of policies.”
Close to 200 members of the industry attended the railway pre-budget discussion. But not everybody was upbeat about the PPP model.
Texmaco president and CEO Ramesh Maheshwari said, “Procedure in Railway board are archaic.”
From appointing FICCI boss Amit Mitra chairman of the experts committee on railways to getting advertising guru Suhel Seth on board, Mamata is trying to send the message out loud and clear that she is not anti development. With her eyes on the Assembly elections in Bengal next year, be prepared to see some quick actions from rail bhawan.
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