Bhubaneswar, July 3: Bhubaneswar and Puri feature in the list of 50 stations to be upgraded into world-class stations in the railway budget presented by Mamata Banerjee in the Lok Sabha today.

Chief minister Naveen Pattnaik expressed his disappointment over the budget. “I am disappointed to see that funds for railway projects have reduced considerably from last year. While it was Rs 949.34 crore in the last budget, this year it has reduced to Rs 715.22 crore,” said Naveen Pattnaik adding that Orissa had been neglected yet again.

Welcoming the budget Venu Srinivasan, president of the Confederation of Indian Industry said that the budget was inclusive.

“The minister has taken a forward approach and laid emphasis on PPP initiative to innovative and constructive projects,” he said. At least seven new trains were introduced in the state including an express between Bhubaneswar and New Delhi.

Work will be taken up at Malkangiri and Sambalpur line.

The budget also offers seven new trains for Orissa.

With the budget promising on-board doctors and infotainment services on long-distance trains, Bhubaneswar has been chosen as a base station in the list of 16 cities that will have a medical college on railway land.