Title - Railway minister assures goods train for drought-affected area

AURANGABAD: Extending a helping hand to villagers in the drought-affected Marathwada region, railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Saturday assured that he would arrange goods trains to bring water and fodder to the region. The railway minister made the promise during his visit to Aurangabad, when he halted at Sena MP Rajkumar Dhoot's residence. He said he would take up the matter with Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and take positive decision. Earlier, highlighting the need of water and fodder due to severe drought, Dhoot and MP Chandrakant Khaire had urged the railway minister to start the goods trains. They requested the railway minister to give stoppage to Janshatabdi Express at Rotegoan and Lasur stations. Khaire pointed out that work on Solapur-Tuljapur-Paithan-Jalgaon railway track was suspended for quite long and railways should restart it. Responding positively, Bansal said he would take decisions in favour of the region.

Meanwhile, local Congress workers and activists were disappointed that Bansal met Dhoot but did not halt at the state guest house, where they were expected to meet him.

Many Congress workers and railway activists were disappointed that their meeting with Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal could not take place, as he left after having lunch with Dhoot. Some Congress workers met the minister at the Chikalthana airport and presented their demands. Party workers, activists and citizens who waited at the guest house were told that he had left directly for the airport after meeting Dhoot.

Senior Congress leader and former state general secretary, Shamshersingh Sodhi, said, "After waiting for an hour, we were informed that the minister is heading directly to the airport, so we rushed there and put forth our demands".