New Delhi: Even as controversy over the bifurcation of Eastern Railway zone rages, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar on July 18 told the Lok Sabha that the East Central Railway with headquarters in Hajipur would be operational from October 1.

Amidst vociferous protest from members belonging to West Bengal with Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi (Cong) demanding a full-fledged discussion on the issue, the Minister said besides the one at Hajipur, the North Western Railway headquartered in Jaipur would also be functional from 1 October 2002.

He said the other five zonal Railways would be operational from 1 April 2003. To a demand that Western Railway headquarters be shifted from Mumbai to Ahmedabad as 80 per cent of the Railways was in Gujarat, he said, "there is no such proposal before the ministry."

With agitated West Bengal members repeatedly interrupting the Minister, a visibly annoyed Speaker Manohar Joshi said, "I have no objection to a discussion. Let the Minister reply and if the House so desires, I will put it before the Business Advisory Committee."

PTI