VAPI, May 26: Railways minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday played Santa Claus to the people of Vapi in Gujarat with his bagful of promises. Halting superfast Karnavati Express at Vapi, Rs 25 lakh for upgrading Vapi station, a computerised reservation centre by the end of 1997 were among the promises made by the minister.

The crowd was taken by surprise when he conceded to the demands made by Chief Minister Shankersingh Vaghela to halt the Karnavati and Avadh Express trains at Vapi or Valsad. He gave his go ahead by allowing the chief minister to choose which station he wished the train to stop. Vaghela chose for Vapi.

Paswan's immediate acceptance of demands made surprised most people. Some said they had never seen a Railway Minister who took decisions on the spot during addressing a function. The minister also read out the budget proposal thus announcing several other bridges, road under rails, among others across Gujarat.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.