Bonanza for Mumbai ahead of general elections

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SME Times News Bureau | 19 Jan, 2019
Ahead of the upcoming general elections, the Centre on Saturday offered a bagful of bonanza for the eight million Mumbai daily suburban railway commuters.

They included green signal to the much-discussed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhanai Express, MEMU services on Diva-Panvel-Roha section and Extended Pune-Karjat-Pune Passenger train.

It would be the first Rajdhani Express service from the Unesco World Heritage CSMT to the national capital, though Rajdhani Express and August Kranti Rajdhani Express ply from the Western Railway route to New Delhi.

According to an officials, the maiden run ofthe new Rajdhani Express -- which was fully booked -- departed from CSMT for Hazrat Nizamuddin piloted by Lal Kumar, R.S. Dekate, Guard S.S. Jadhav and train Captain P.V. Rao.

Monumental High Mast Flags, each around 100 feet tall, were unveiled at CSMT, Mumbai Central and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, as per a decision in November 2018 to project "symbols of nationalism'.

A total of 75 stations falling in Category A-1 all over the country were selected for this initiative, including seven in Mumbai, besides the aforementioned three termini.

The Pen-Roha electrified section in Raigad was inaugurated, besides two escalators at Panvel, and lifts at Bandra Terminus, Andheri and Borivali, plus foot overbridges at Prabhadevi, Belapur, Matunga Road, Jogeshwari, Andheri and Borivali.

Foundation stones for two road over-bridges, near Juchandra station and the CSTM were also laid on the occasion.

Other important amenities dedicated include 40 new Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVM) on Suburban section, improvement of Lux levels at Dadar, LTT, Thane, Kalyan, Green Stations at Roha, Pen and Apta, improvement of illumination at stations and new LED-based indicators at Ghatkopar.

Present on the occasion were Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Anant Geete and Ramdas Athawale, besides several Maharashtra ministers, Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, parliamentarians and legislators.