Expressing shock at volleyball player Arunima Sinha being thrown out of a train in Bareilly, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday held both Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati responsible for the incident.
The railway minister's indifference to her portfolio, the hesitation to install anti-collision devices that cost Rs 250,000 per km and the debate over the efficiency of home-grown technology are leading to more accidents.
Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed Maoist leader Kishenji's ceasefire offer on Wednesday and said all problems should be solved by diplomatic process.
In the absence of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Rajya Sabha, a Bahujan Samaj Party member described her junior E Ahammed as a "duplicate minister" on Friday.
The passengers of Howrah bound Kandari Express from Digha that reached its destination on Friday wee hour after several hours of scheduled time, were worried about getting back home. But, none of the 325 passengers could imagine that a pleasant surprise was awaiting them from Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of the assembly elections in the state.
Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee called for peace in Lalgarh in West Bengal during her rally at the Maoist-infested region on Monday.
In an interview with rediff.com's Anisha Ralhan, M G Arora, former executive director of safety, Indian Railways, explains how lobbyists and deflectors operating at different levels have corroded the lifeline of the nation.
Bowing to pressure, the finance ministry may give industry relief from some of the new levies proposed in the Budget.
While analysts and investigative agencies are busy finding reasons, those who are not too friendly with the Trinamool Congress chief think Railways' security has become defunct of late and that Mamata is paying more attention to politics in Bengal than to her duties in New Delhi.
In a Women's Day gift, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced free monthly seasonal tickets -- for local travel -- to girls till their college level education.
Though a host of pro-public announcements made by her in the last Railway Budget (2010-11) has been implemented, Indian Railways' finances have gone from bad to worse.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde on Friday slammed Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee for presenting a 'lacklustre, populist budget with an eye on forthcoming elections in West Bengal'.
Countering Communist Party of India-Marxist's allegations that she had made Railways bankrupt, she said, "Their government (in West Bengal) is bankrupt. It has Rs 2 lakh crore (Rs 2 trillion) debt. Charity begins at home."
Rediff.com brings to you Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee's Railway Budget Speech Live from Parliament at 12.00 noon, February 25
While a host of pro-public announcements made by her in the last Railway Budget (2010-11) have been implemented, Indian Railways' finances have gone from bad to worse.
For the last eight months, the toy train service between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling is partially suspended, following a landslide and the authorities are unsure of when the narrow gauge route would be revived.
The National Advisory Council, headed by United Progressive Alliance Chairman Sonia Gandhi, will also meet on Thursday to look at the Food Security Bill, a crucial component of the second UPA government's promise to provide cheap and plentiful food to the poor.
The forthcoming Railway Budget is, perhaps, going to be the toughest one for Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The Commonwealth Express comprising 11 coaches will leave for Amritsar to coincide with the arrival of Queen's Baton in the country from Pakistan on June 25.
In what seemed a political understanding, Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee stayed away from a cabinet committee meeting where the government finally cleared two disinvestment proposals she had been opposing.
Downplaying her absence from the Union Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday morning, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said there are no differences between her party and the Congress. She added that she will attend the United Progressive Alliance meeting to present the coalition's 'report card' on the completion of one year of its second stint.
The Communist Party of India - Marxist on Saturday rubbished suggestions by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee that a political conspiracy was behind the Gyaneshwari Express disaster in West Midnapore, alleging that she was trying to cover up lapses and failures of her ministry in the incident. Senior CPI-M Politburo member Sitaram Yechury also said some elements were 'cynically' using the situation to further their petty partisan interests.
The West Bengal chief minister did not have anything new to offer to Singur and its people, except that the site would be used for an industrial project.
Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee's pet initiative 'Sankriti Yatra,' a cultural extravangza, has arrived in Mumbai as a two-day event starting on Wednesday.
Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday ruled out corporatisation of the country's railroad network but said the private sector's participation can be considered for commercial use of railway land in areas like healthcare and \neducation institutions.
Mamata Banerjee's decision on land acquisition policy for dedicated freight corridor has very serious implications, says A K Bhattacharya.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had earlier given a tax holiday to the Railways till December 31. Banerjee now wants the tax relief extended to March 31.
All the Indian Railways' zones have been instructed to ensure availability of Janata Khana. A comprehensive policy, including strict monitoring mechanisms, would be developed soon for achieving these objectives.
It was the humble 'jhola' rather than the traditional leather briefcase Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee preferred to bring her budget papers to Parliament on Friday.
Although a detailed blueprint is yet to be created, sources familiar with thedevelopments said companies would initially be roped in to augment the basic rail infrastructure in industrial areas such as mining zones.
Faced with requirement of mammoth resources for expansion, the railways will need to involve the private sector, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said.
Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee attributed her party's abstention from voting on the Women's Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha to a "communication gap" and said she was committed to the Constitutional amendment.
Accusing the Marxist government of unleashing 'state-sponsored terrorism' in West Bengal, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday warned that it would invite 'punishment' if the government did not act constitutionally.
The Indian Railways on Wednesday said it suffered an estimated loss of Rs 13,675 crore (Rs 136.75 billion) in the current fiscal on account of various social service obligations, including suburban and non-suburban services.
The list of demands include better interconnectivity of locations in Mumbai, better (read as clean and hygienic) toilet facilities -- particularly for women, and formation of panels at railway station level to facilitate communication between the commuters and the local station administration among other things.
Maoists are ready for talks if the Centre stops operations against them, their leader Kishenji said on Friday.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that her ministry would clear the backlog of two lakh vacancies countrywide within six months and the process was already on for class III posts.
The WWF had earlier asked for halting movement of night trains in the New Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar section passing through wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks and restricting their speed.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, a strong votary of dialogue with Maoists and has sought a halt to joint security operations against them, had a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Questioning the suggestion that Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee should mediate between government and the Maoists, the Communist Party of India Marxist on Friday wondered how she could do that when she was 'openly siding' with the ultra-Left brigade.
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