Railway ministry blames land acquisition hurdles for delays in Bengal projects

KOLKATA: The ministry of railways has reported significant delays in several railway infrastructure projects across West Bengal, primarily due to challenges in land acquisition, an official statement said. Despite a substantial increase in funding, with allocations rising three times from Rs 4,380 crore during 2009-14 to Rs 13,941 crore in 2024-25, the pace of project execution remains hindered, the ministry statement said.

As of April 1, 2024, there are 43 railway projects in West Bengal, encompassing 4,479 km and costing Rs 60,168 crore. These projects, which fall fully or partly within West Bengal under the Eastern, South Eastern, and North East Frontier Railways, involve new lines and modernisation efforts.

Of these, 1,655 km have been commissioned, with a capex outgo of Rs 20,434 crore up to March 2024.

The ministry stated that acquisition remains a significant bottleneck as out of the total 3,040 hectares required, only 640 hectares (21 per cent) have been acquired, leaving a balance of 2,400 hectares (79 per cent) yet to be secured.

It said the Railways acquires land for its projects through state governments.

Railways pointed out some key projects experiencing delays due to land acquisition issues include: Nabadwipghat-Nabadwipdham new line (10 km): requires 106.86 hectares; only 0.17 hectares acquired. Chandaneshwar-Jaleswar new line (41 km): requires 158 hectares; no land acquired to date. Naihati-Ranaghat third line (36 km): requires 87.83 hectares; only 0.09 hectares acquired. Balurghat-Hilli new line (30 km): requires 156.38 hectares; 67.38 hectares acquired. Bypasses at Sainthia (5 km) and Sitarampur (7 km): require 22.28 hectares; but only 2.22 hectares could be acquired.

The completion of railway projects depends on various factors, including prompt land acquisition by state governments, forest clearances, cost-sharing deposits, shifting of utilities, statutory clearances, geological and topographical conditions, law and order situations, and climatic conditions affecting the number of working months available annually, the ministry said.

The ministry emphasises that while the government is prepared to execute these projects, their success heavily relies on the support and cooperation of the West Bengal government in expediting land acquisition processes, the statement said.

Railways said to address these challenges, the ministry has implemented measures such as establishing Gati Shakti units, prioritising projects, increasing fund allocations for priority projects, delegating powers at the field level, closely monitoring progress, and regularly coordinating with state governments and relevant authorities to expedite land acquisition and clearances.
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