New Delhi: A rail project in West Bengal which was sanctioned 45 years ago is still awaiting to get land for its completion. Out of the total 110 km length of project, Railways is being able to get a stretch of 43 km of Howrah-Amta section, while remaining portion is still withheld.
During 1974-75, a rail project for Howrah-Champadanga railway line of 110 km was being commissioned. Even after 45 years, the 32 km section from Bargachia-Champadanga is still held on account of non-acquisition of land by State Government of West Bengal.
Also, work on material modifications of Champadanga-Tarakeshwar, Amta-Bagnan, and Janghipara-Furfura Sharif new lines are also been held up as the State Government has not yet provided land to Indian Railways.
The current anticipated cost of this rail project is Rs 1286 crores, but Railways is still not able to fix its Target Date of Completion in this project.
As per the Ministry of Railways, now, since the cost of the land has increased manifold, the project can be taken up further only if the Government of West Bengal provides land free of cost as per the original MoU executed between Railway and Government of West Bengal in 1973.
During a press conference held last week, the Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that Railways had written a number of letters, urging the current TMC Government and former Left front Government to provide land for the completion of this project but achieved only a little bit of progress.
He said, "Earlier projects were announced without any clarity of resources, land or timeline. There is a project in West Bengal which is pending for last 45 years. We have been pleading with the State Government to make land available so that we can spend more money faster to complete projects in West Bengal. There are many local issues which hold back implementation of projects."
Indian Railways is currently working on 53 projects in West Bengal including the 16 new lines covering a length of 1,538 km at a cost of Rs 20,117 crore, four Gauge conversion project covering a length of 1200 km at a cost of Rs 7,993 crore and 33 doubling projects covering a length of 1725 km at a cost of Rs 20,165 crore.
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