Kolkata?s Circular Railway to be extended

Kolkata: Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that the Circular Railway of Kolkata will be extended upto Budge Budge of West Bengal?s South 24-Parganas district.

She was addressing at the foundation stone laying ceremony of construction of double line between Princep Ghat and Tala stations of Circular Railway here on Thursday.

Banerjee said that the double line project will now be extended upto Majherhat and a new line will be constructed from Majherhat to Budge Budge.

The present Princep Ghat-Tala double line project will cost approximately Rs.150 Crore, she stated.

On this occasion, Banerjee also announced ?Sukhi Grihokon? ? a pilot project for all railway zones. Under this project shanty dwellers along the railway lines will be provided with 1 room flats in the vacant land available nearest to the stations.

The project will be done in collaboration with Corporations or Municipalities of private companies etc.

The Railway Minister also announced that ?Safety Category? staff of railways will now be able to take voluntary retirement after completion of 20 years of service and in his/her place their son/daughter will get the job. She termed it as ?Guaranteed Retirement Scheme?.

This scheme is being implemented from today. The Railway Minister also informed that railways is considering introduction of a new category of workers under ?Rail Sevak? scheme.

Rail Sevaks will provide porter facility against payment. The modalities for this scheme are being worked out, the minister informed.

Banerjee underlined that all her announcements made in the Railway Budget 2010 have thus been implemented. She assured railway employees that from now on all railway employees will get housing facilities.