#Gurgaon traders disappointed

Industries and trades in Gurgaon and its neighbouring areas had many expectations from the Rail Budget, but no such announcement was made on Thursday, said H.P. Yadav, president, NCR Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gurgaon.

Mr. Yadav said he was expecting some relief to the industries through reduction in goods freight and measures related to safety of goods train, but it was not announced. Also, no decision was taken on extension of the Delhi Metro from Gurgaon to Manesar (Ist Phase) and Manesar to Rewari (IInd Phase), as was being expected in the Budget, said Mr. Yadav, adding that the industry and trade fraternity of Haryana are disappointed. “We were also expecting announcement related to extension of Metro Rail to Kondli, but no such provision was there in Budget.”

He said that setting aside Rs.50 crore for providing innovation grants to start-ups is a good initiative.

The Rail Budget has given relief to common people by not increasing the fare. Overall, this can be termed as a mixed budget, he said.

Workers in the industrial belt also felt let down by the Rail Ministry. Maruti Udyog Kamgaar Union general-secretary Kuldeep Jhangu said that the workers in the industrial belt of Gurgaon-Manesar-Bawal had a lot of expectations from the Budget and wanted laying of new railway tracks. “Several lakh workers are employed in thousands of factories in Gurgaon, Kherki Dhaula, Manesar, Binola, Dharuhera and Bawal. Thousands of workers at IMT Manesar commute from Delhi, but not all trains stop at the nearby Garhi-Harsaru railway station. It has been a long-pending demand of the workers. Also, no provision for passes for workers has been made,” said Mr. Jhangu.