Chambers of commerce joined politicians cutting across party lines to seek more trains for Bokaro, justifying their demand two days before Wednesday’s presentation of the railway budget by pointing out that the steel city was the highest revenue earner in the Adra railway division.

In its plea to railway minister Dinesh Trivedi, Bokaro Chamber of Commerce stated that as Bokaro steel city was witnessing steady industrial growth, the town needed faster trains to Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

“Due to lack of proper connectivity to these cities, the business community of Bokaro was facing acute problems,” said chamber president Sanjay Baidya.

Specifically, he requested the railway minister to consider starting a Janshatabdi between Bokaro and Howrah, via Dhanbad in the morning, besides faster trains connecting the two steel cities of Bokaro and Jamshedpur. He also sought a daily stop for the Ranchi-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and Jharkhand Swarna Jayanti Express in Bokaro.

Leading city businessman Manoj Bhalotia and hotelier Deepak Gupta suggested that since Bokaro was being denied benefits of being the highest revenue earner within Adra railway division, it should henceforth be attached to Ranchi or Dhanbad railway divisions.

“To travel to Chennai, the only option I have is to use the Alleppy Express which takes more than 55 hours to reach. Hence, I have to go to Calcutta to catch a more convenient train,” Gupta explained.

Dhanbad MP P.N Singh also demanded new trains from Bokaro for cities in the south, given that a large number of students were studying in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. The JMM, too, sent a wish list to the railway minister. Its 11-point charter of demands includes the extension of Baidyanathdham Express, Coalfiled Express and a new booking centre for women at Bokaro.

Party leader Mantu Yadav said that if the railways failed to fulfil these long-pending demands of the residents of Bokaro, his party workers would have no option but to launch an agitation.