Sena (UBT), MNS target BJP over bullet train project

Mumbai, Jun 10 (PTI) The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Tuesday targeted the BJP, saying the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project was happening at the party's insistence and the funds for it should be spent on improving suburban train services.

The parties slammed the railway administration for the accident, in which four persons lost their lives and nine sustained injuries after falling off two overcrowded local trains in Thane district during the morning peak hours on Monday.

Talking to reporters, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said people who lost their lives in the accident were not going to travel in an air-conditioned (AC) train or bullet train.

He said the incident occurred because the trips of regular local trains were reduced while the AC local trains were increased.

"Bullet trains and high-speed trains are for Gujarat, not for the Marathi manoos of Mumbai. The Frequency of trains must be increased. All the budget of Mumbai is being diverted for bullet trains," Raut alleged.

The MNS staged a massive protest march to the Thane railway station, condemning the railway administration's alleged inaction and demanding immediate safety and infrastructure upgrades.

The party's Thane unit president, Avinash Jadhav, accused the railway administration of giving false assurances to improve services and demanded that the number of railway stations be increased to handle crowds.

He said if the Railways can build a bridge over the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, considered an engineering feat, why can't it improve train services? Jadhav also demanded an independent railway board for Mumbai.

"The bullet train project is being carried out only at the BJP's insistence. The money should instead be spent to improve local trains. It is a wasteful expenditure, which is not benefiting Mumbai," he said.

Protesters in Thane submitted a detailed memorandum to railway officials outlining a list of urgent demands.

Jadhav, addressing the crowd, warned of a more intense, "MNS-style" agitation if their demands were not met within eight days. PTI PR COR ARU