Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced here on Saturday that the railway recruitment examination can also be written in Marathi soon. And this comes more than a year after the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) attacked North Indian candidates appearing for railway examinations saying they were taking away jobs meant for the local people.

The minister was in the city to flag off new train services, including the country’s first 15-car rake service and another ladies special train, on the Western Railway. She also inaugurated the Dadar mid-town terminus besides flagging off four Duronto Express trains and three other long-distance services.

“After last year’s incident and requests from MPs, the situation was reviewed and a few policy decisions taken,” Banerjee said. “Candidates can now give their exams in their regional language mentioned in Schedule I (of the Constitution). So this also includes Marathi. Apart from English and Hindi, they can also give the exams in Urdu.”

The exams would now be held on a single day across the country. She also announced concessions in terms of postal orders for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and economically backward class (EBC) candidates appearing for the recruitment examinations.

Besides MNS, the Shiv Sena had also sought these examinations in regional languages.  “We had pressed the demand after Banerjee took over as the minister,” said Shiv sena spokesperson and MP Sanjay Raut.

Welcoming the move, MNS spokesperson and Mahim MLA Nitin Sardesai said, “...but the advertisements should also appear in the local newspapers.”

Banerjee also announced the possibility of linking the CST and Churchgate stations, which will increase the frequency of trains (see box). “A feasibility study would soon be done in this case.” She also announced plans for automobile hubs in Pune and Mumbai. “The Western dedicated freight corridor would boost commerce. And this would help create more job opportunities.” As a tribute to the 26/11 victims, she has asked the Central Railway to set up a museum, which would have photographs of all those killed in the attack.

Underground link mooted
Railway sources have pointed out that the CST and Churchgate stations can be linked by an underground route. According to them, trains at these stations could follow each other without reversing out if these stations are connected by a short underground loop. The frequency of the trains could be increased from the present three minutes to one minute. This short connection would thus double the capacity of the entire suburban railway system.