‘No politics over development’
WELFARE TOPMOST Home minister Rajnath Singh plays down not being invited to Metro trial run, lays stone for Gomti Nagar railway station expansion
Union home minister Rajnath Singh played down the UP government’s decision to not invite him to the trial run of the Lucknow Metro on Thursday.
“There should be no politics on development. As long as projects are executed for welfare of people, I do not have any problem whether I am invited or not,” Singh said on Friday at an event organised at Gomti Nagar railway station to lay foundation stone for its expansion. The Railways has earmarked `109 crore to develop it as a model station. Union minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu was also present on the occasion. “The Union government is a major contributor to Lucknow Metro. It is also a guarantor of loans availed by the UP government, which has also contributed for the Metro project,” said Singh.
Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, however, had pointed out in his flagging off speech without taking any names that the state government had invited central leaders but they did not turn up.
Singh, who also represents Lucknow in Lok Sabha, praised Suresh Prabhu for keeping UP in focus in his projects in Railways ministry. “Prabhu has been generous towards UP. He works with extraordinary zeal. His imagination power is too good which he uses in his working,” Singh said.
On the expansion project of Gomti Nagar station, Singh stated that around 250 trains pass through Charbagh railway station everyday, which was the main station in Lucknow. “
After Gomti Nagar station is developed into a world class station, trains will originate from here, easing pressure on Charbagh station,” said Singh.
Singh dedicated all development projects in Lucknow to former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee, who had represented Lucknow five times consecutively in Lok Sabha.
Addressing the gathering, Prabhu launched a veiled attack on his previous counterparts.
“In the past projects were announced (by Railway ministers) just for the sake of announcements. Most of them were not implemented,” said Prabhu.
“In the past two years projects of `43,453 crore for UP have been sanctioned by the Railways,” he said adding, “maximum benefits of Railways projects would go to Uttar Pradesh.”