New Delhi: The allocation of Rs 6,636 crore to poll bound West Bengal is the highest ever funds earmarked for the state in the history of Indian Railways. This information was given by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal here Thursday. The minister also blamed successive West Bengal governments for the delay in rail projects in the state. West Bengal has 53 ongoing projects including new lines, gauge conversion, doubling projects costing Rs 48,275 crore for 4,463 km.
“The allocation for West Bengal is the highest ever in the history of Indian Railways. It is 2.5 times the average amount allocated between Budget 2009-2014 and 26 per cent more than last year,” Goyal said while addressing a press briefing.
“Projects there remain incomplete or are delayed because the state governments – first it was the Left Front and the TMC government – have been unable to provide land to us. Projects which are 45 year old are pending in West Bengal,” Goyal informed. “I appeal to Mamata didi (Banerjee) to expedite the process and give us land,” he added.
Goyal said that due to non-availability of land, 34 projects in West Bengal have received only token allotment in the budget 2021-22.
Goyal said that there was no shortage of funds for West Bengal. It was clear he was making a statement for the poll bound state. “I want to assure the people of West Bengal that there is no shortage of funds. Only there should not be any shortage of land. Also local issues should be sorted out, then projects will be completed on time,” asserted Goyal.
Goyal further took a dig at pre-BJP budgets where the Railway Budget was separate. He said that at that time there was a tendency to announce rail projects for political gains. Projects were done according to the need of the people.
“Once someone became a minister, he would announce projects without checking if funds were, if land was available and if the project was feasible. That is the reason why none of the projects which were announced then could be completed. It happened because there would be major cost overruns. So, inspired by politics this harmed the railways,” Goyal pointed out.
“Now, we have decided that we will start a project only after we have the land required for it. We have identified critical and super critical projects which would be completed in a focussed manner. Over the next four years, the Railways will emerge as a vibrant contributor to the Indian economy,” he added.