Gujarat: Western Railway to carry out development project at old Rajula railway premises

AHMEDABAD: The Western Railway has decided that they would carry out a development work at the old

Rajula city

railway premises. It was in 2003 that the

Surendranagar-Rajula-Pipavav track

was converted into broad gauge from Meter gauge.

Earlier the railway had decided that the 41,926 sq meter of old station land in

Bhavnagar division

will be beautification and development of a green patch on it. There was an old

MG alignment

from old Rajula station (which is now closed) to Rajula City. This land is situated at the old Metre Gauge Railway station of Rajula City.

Pradeep Sharma, public relations officer of Western Railway said that the

Rajula City Municipality

had approached Western Railway for using the above-mentioned land parcel for creating green patch.

Under the proposal, the cost of beautification and its development as green patch had to be borne by Rajula Municipality while the ownership of the land would remain with the Railways. The proposal was approved by HQ in November, 2020 with the condition that if the above mentioned land would be required for any developmental projects in future, it would be taken back from the Municipality.

Accordingly, an MOU was prepared which was to be signed by the Rajula Municipality and the Western Railway. However, due to local bodies elections in Gujarat in February and March, 2021 and ensuing Covid-19 Pandemic, it could not be executed.

During the above period of pendency, the above said land parcel was also identified for the utilization of alternative better plans. This included setting up of Food corporation of India Godowns to store food grains and also for the installation of Solar Plants as part of Green Energy Initiatives of Govt of India. Both the proposals would benefit the people and the region on the whole to a large extent.

In view of the above developments during this period, the matter was reviewed and the approval for beautification and development of the green patch on this land by Rajula Municipality given earlier in November, 2020 was withdrawn by Railway (HQs) in the larger public interest.

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