Your apprehensions are right friend, A district not getting a MP is at disadvantage, but just getting MP is not a solution to problems. Elected MP must be capable/ active/ willing enough to do something for the constituency. Even after 69 years of Independence, there are many constituencies in India, which are still waiting to get their first such MP!! An inactive & powerless MP is almost worthless for development purpose.
Most of the Zonal/Div HQs are located at million plus or at least 5lacs+ cities, those HQs having lesser populations like RTM(WR), Chakradharpur(SER), Khurda(ECoR), Sonpur(ECR), Katihar, Alipurduar, Rangia, Lumding, Tinsukia, Palghat, Adra(SER)Guntakal(SCR) etc does not get that much importance in matter of starting new trains and latest amenities in stations...
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Actually the Officials based at HQs need a shoulder to shoot proposals for good facilities. The large population/ traffic originating from the HQ, acts as a shoulder to such proposals in case of larger HQ cities, so officials at smaller city HQs could do little for promoting their HQ. RTM with a decent annual earnings of 51.6 Crores (2014-15) could not give enough leverage to originate trains or give big facilities. Some like BSP could do it because it is large catchment area (Korba, Champa etc dependent on it) and its originating trains primarily catering to traffic of other bigger/nearby cities like Raipur, Bhilai, Durg. The combined earning of over 350 crore Rs. give Bilaspur a big leverage to initiate big proposals for their HQ.
RTM may not get the facilities equivalent to adjoining divisional HQs like BRC, Kota, BPL. But one thing is sure, RTM should get enough/more due to HQ status as compared to similar size cities like Satna, Dewas, Sagar, Khandwa etc which does not have div. HQ. One facility RTM got much before even Kota & Surat is, stoppage of the premier train of IR, the Mumbai Raj.