Standing in Kolkata, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said the money would not be an obstacle if the land was found for the railway project in West Bengal. A special function was organized at the Eastern Railway Auditorium at James Long Street in Behala on Tuesday as part of a nationwide poor welfare conference to mark the eighth anniversary of the Narendra Modi government.
Regarding the ‘success’ of various central projects, the rail minister said that in the current budget, 10 thousand crore rupees have been allocated for the Bengal railway project. He also appealed to the state government officials to make arrangements for the land. “Once the land is available, we will expedite all the projects,” he said.
Political-administrative observers are of the opinion that the ball has been pushed to the court of Bengal behind this assurance. About 57% of the ongoing rail projects in West Bengal are yet to be completed. Railways have repeatedly blamed the state government for not getting land on time as the reason for the delay in most of the projects.
The Ministry of Railways said that a new railway line is being constructed in West Bengal, double line construction, gauge replacement and about 4421 km long railway project is underway. But more than two and a half thousand kilometers of land remain to be worked. Construction of new lines has been started in several projects but has to be stopped.
There have been repeated allegations that work on the city’s metro projects is being hampered by land. According to observers, in this situation, the Railway Minister himself gave the message that there is no shortage of money on their part to implement the project in Bengal.
The problem is with the land. The Ministry of Railways said that a new railway line is being constructed in West Bengal, double line construction, gauge replacement and about 4421 km long railway project is underway. But more than two and a half thousand kilometers of land remain to be worked. Construction of new lines has been started in several projects but has to be stopped.
