Pune: MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Monday proposed that the Union govt should form a separate corporation to operate and manage Mumbai local railway services.He was speaking with reporters in Pune after a local train mishap in Mumbai. “We lack the concept of town planning. Influx of outsiders has caused the railways to collapse. The system is in disarray and traffic is chaotic. Building Metro railway services and other facilities won’t solve the problem,” he said.Thackeray also said that instead of demanding resignation of the railway minister, the focus should be on dealing with the core issue. He said he would rather visit and check the ground reality. “The central govt needs to focus on basics. If you observe the daily crowd on platforms for local trains, you will see how people get in and out of compartments. I have travelled by train. I know what the commute is like and how crowded railway stations and trains can be,” he said.He said options like fitting doors to local trains are flawed and impractical. Local trains are so crowded that installing doors could be life-threatening and people would suffocate.“Mumbai has Metro and Monorail services. But has the registration of new private vehicles — two-wheelers and four-wheelers — stopped? If vehicles are being added to roads in such large numbers, who is using the Metro and Monorail? No one is ready to examine the problem,” he said.Thackeray said lack of town planning was leading to serious concerns in cities like Mumbai and Pune. There are no proper roads or parking, and there is always congestion as a result.
