Eyes on assembly, Didi drives train to Singur

KOLKATA: After her strident protests against the Nano project in Singur that had culminated in the Tata Motors pullout last October, Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee took a fresh move that is steeped in symbolism. On Sunday, Ms Banerjee announced a new train service, Andolan Express, between Singur and Howrah from August 1.

Andolan Express is expected to revive memories of the site of her political crusade against farmland acquisition for industry in West Bengal. It remains to be seen what degree of political mileage TMC is able to derive in the run-up to the 2011 assembly elections in the state, if indeed the Andolan Express is able to rekindle memories of her political crusade against farmland acquisition, bring it in the centre of people's consciousness.

���We will start a new train link between Singur and Howrah, called Andolan Express,��� Ms Banerjee said while speaking at the inauguration of a computerised reservation centre at New Alipore station on Sunday.

"While Kidderpore and Garden Reach stations are next on the list, some 200 new reservation centres will come up across the state," she added. At present there are 140 such centres in the state.

Ms Banerjee also announced a new ladies special between Sealdah and Kalyani in the south suburban section, following up on her promise made last Sunday while inaugurating a similar service between Howrah and Bandel. "The Sealdah-Kalyani ladies special will be launched on August 5, the day of Raksha Bandhan," Ms Banerjee said.

The minister also announced the New Alipore station, which is to be developed into a model station. The station will also have a shopping mall and marketing complex, with underground car parking facilities. ���This will serve as an additional revenue stream for the Railways," the minister said.

She also instructed Railway officials to communicate her decision, taken on-the-spot, to Mr Amit Mitra, who has recently been appointed as head of Railways committee on public-private partnership (PPP) projects.