Goyal meets MLAs, MPs on rail amenities

Mumbai: Union railway minister Piyush Goyal has held a meeting with all Mumbai MPs and MLAs over passenger amenities just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections at Sahyadri Guest House along with railway officers on Friday. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena legislators and MPs boycotted the meeting, saying that the railway minister did not treat them properly. Meanwhile, BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said that railway officers have heard him out properly and he has also demanded more services for the 15-coach rake and semi-AC local trains for the mainline of the Central Railway.

Mr. Somaiya claimed that the semi-AC local trains would be operated in the financial year 2018-19, while more services of 15 coaches' rake would also be plied.    

Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Shinde said that there was no atmosphere of a meeting. “The railway minister has not treated us properly, as there is chaos and no place to sit in the meeting.”  Mr Shinde claimed that his party MLAs left the meeting as the meeting did not start on time, which was told to everyone.

Sena MP Arwind Sawant said the meeting was arranged at 2.00 pm and the railway minister could not come till 3 pm. “It may be due to his engagement.  Minister came after 3 pm in the waiting hall. Instead of having a discussion on our issues, he announced two to three things and everybody was standing before him. The arrangement for the seating was not made and in fact enough chairs were not availed for seating. Eventually, everybody submitted his or her respective representations to the minister,” he said.      

Mr Sawant said, “The decorum of the meeting was not maintained. It was not correct to say that this was a meeting as conveyed.”