Residents Rally Against Railway-to-Road Project in Mathura

Mathura residents protested against a project to replace the Mathura-Vrindavan railway line with a road, accusing MP Hema Malini of erasing heritage. Residents, including Deepak Parashar and Neelam Goswami, expressed opposition to the dismantling of the historic railway. Malini denied the claims, citing repair costs as the reason.

Residents of Mathura have gathered in protest against the controversial proposal to convert the historic 15-kilometre Mathura-Vrindavan railway line into a road.

During a rally on Wednesday, demonstrators vocally opposed Tirth Vikas Parishad and local MP Hema Malini, demanding the restoration of the railway line, which they see as an integral heritage piece.

Organizer Deepak Parashar criticized the scrapping of what he termed 'a gift from the Maharaja of Jaipur.' Hema Malini refuted these accusations, explaining that the railway's halt was due to hefty repair expenses, decided by a broader initiative to convert meter gauges to broad gauges.

(With inputs from agencies.)