THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, February 10: The BJP MPs from Jharkhand today demanded Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to create a separate railway zone in the State.
The BJP MPs, including Jayant Sinha, Deepak Prakash and Aditya Sahu, submitted a memorandum signed by other MPs, including Sunil Singh, in New Delhi today.
Railway infrastructure
They said there had been growth in the railway infrastructure with several premium trains in Jharkhand. They added that Jharkhand has contributed significantly to the railway’s revenue.
“So, a separate railway zone in Ranchi will be appropriate to augment the revenue from passengers and transportation of goods,” they added.
Sanjay Seth made a similar demand in 2019
Notably, Ranchi BJP MP Sanjay Seth had made a similar demand in 2019, close on the heels of the railways approving a separate zone, South Coast Railway, despite an internal committee advising against the move.
“Jharkhand gives more than Rs 20,000 crore per year of only freight revenue, which makes the state more than deserving to have a zonal headquarters in the state capital of Ranchi,” Seth said.
The MP said that the zonal headquarters could be created by either shifting the present headquarters of the South Eastern Railway from Kolkata to Ranchi or by merging certain portions of the East Central Railway, like the Dhanbad division, with Ranchi.