Patna, Feb 26 (IANS): Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Tuesday described the railway budget as a big disappointment for the people of the country and particularly for Bihar, alleging the railway projects in the state are being "delayed".

"I was fully disappointed by the railway budget presented by Railway Minister Pawan Bansal. He (Bansal) claimed that there was no proposal for fresh hike of passenger fares but his budget proposed hike of several charges, including reservation to cancellation of tickets," Nitish Kumar, a former railway minister, told reporters here.

Nitish Kumar said the railway minister used back-door route to increase burden on passengers.

"Railway minister hiked passenger fares in January before the budget. Now he is saying that there was no hike of passenger fares," he said.

Nitish Kumar added that the railway minister lacked guts or will power to say truth and admit reality. He also questioned the budget as regards safety measures to be taken in future.

He said that during his tenure as railway minister during the NDA rule, he had set up a corporate safety fund and a corporate safety plan for a 10-year period of 2003-13.

"The railway ministry should have made corporate safety plan for the future," he said.

Nitish Kumar said he was disappointed with the railway budget for lack of emphasis on completion of pending projects in Bihar. "All the projects are getting delayed in Bihar, thanks to ministry's apathy," he said.