Stating that Rs 13,955 crore has been allocated for railway infrastructure in West Bengal in the Union Budget this year, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday sought Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s intervention in acquiring land for rail projects in the state.
Addressing a web conference on the railway budget, the minister said the funds allocated for West Bengal have increased three times as compared to the 2009-2014 financial year. “To use these resources, I request West Bengal Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee) to help us with land acquisition and also regarding law and order to benefit the people. For the development of Railways, land acquisition is very important,” the minister said.
According to the minister, several railway projects have not been able to make progress in West Bengal due to the land acquisition issue in several districts, including Nadia, Birbhum, Purba Medinipur. “Land acquisition is very important in railway projects,” Vaishnaw said, adding Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated a major mission to modernise and expand railway facilities in the state.
“The PM has taken up a big mission to modernise and expand railway facilities in West Bengal. For this, an amount of Rs 13,955 crore has been allocated. In Bengal, Railways has a massive investment of Rs 68,000 crore,” Vaishnaw said.
The minister said 101 stations in West Bengal are being modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, and around 1,290 km of tracks have been added in the state in the last 10 years. “101 railway stations in West Bengal will be re-developed as ‘Amrit’ stations… Also, 3,337 km of rail tracks in the state will be covered with the Kavach system to enhance railway safety,” he said.
Talking about the speed of construction of the Metro Railway in Kolkata, he said that from 1972 to 2014, only 28 km Metro connectivity was provided, adding, however, 31 km of work has been completed and made operational in the last 10 years. “This was possible due to the Prime Minister’s commitment, devotion, and respect for the people and culture of Bengal,” he said.
Vaishnaw said that along with the rest of the nation, West Bengal will soon receive several new railway projects and trains, including Namo Bharat and Vande Bharat sleeper, “which will revolutionise rail travel in the next five years”.
Additional General Manager of Eastern Railway Sumit Sarkar and other senior railway officials were present during the web conference hosted at the Eastern Railway headquarters in Kolkata.