Bokaro, July 1: Businessmen, supported by the JMM, today demanded better railway connectivity in the steel city a couple of days before minister Mamata Banerjee presents the budget in Parliament.

The demands include extension and introduction of long-distance super-fast trains to the west, north and south from the city, which earns the highest revenue for the Adra division of South Eastern Railway.

During a dharna near the railway station here, JMM leader Manto Yadav said that if the railway minister failed to meet their demands in her budget, they would paralyse services for an indefinite period.

In a memorandum addressed to Mamata, JMM workers, Bokaro Chamber of Commerce, the Jharkhand Industries Association and city intellectuals said that Bokaro should have received facilities long back.

They demanded new trains to Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and extension of Black Diamond Express, Coalfield Express, Hatia-Yesvantpur Express, Rupasi Bangla Express, Ranchi-Puri Express to Bokaro. The demands also include daily service of Ranchi-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (twice, at present) and Jharkhand Swarna Jayanti Express (thrice).

Bokaro Chamber of Commerce president Sajay Baidya said that businessmen face problems going to Mumbai, Gujarat, Bangalore in absence of a direct train from the city.