DVS assure all possible help to complete 5 long pending railway line projects in Jharkhand.

Union Railway Minister Mr.D.V.Sadananda Gowda, in his maiden Jharkhand visit before Assembly polls, professed to place pragmatism above populism, stressed on the need to finish long-pending projects instead of 'politicising development work', but did not forget to take swipes at the Hemant Soren government.

Gowda, holed up in a 90-minute meeting with the chief minister at Project Building this afternoon, promised all possible help to the state to complete five major railway track laying projects, pending since 2002.

These comprise work on Koderma-Hazaribagh-Barkakana-Ranchi, Ranchi-Lohardaga-Tori, Koderma-Giridih, Koderma-Tilaiya and Dumka-Rampurhat stretches.

However, the pending projects won't be complete before March 2017, according to fresh deadlines sought by the railways. Highly placed government sources maintained that Hemant, in the next cabinet meeting, would formally extend the deadline, after which a fresh MoU will be inked between the state and railways.

Gowda, in his meeting with Hemant in the presence of chief secretary Sajal Chakraborty, development commissioner R.S. Poddar, chief minister's principal secretary S.K. Satpathy, secretaries of revenue, forest and transport, Rajbala Verma, Alka Tiwary and K.K. Soan, respectively, promised all help for pending projects.

But, once outside Project Building and inside BJP state party headquarters in Harmu, Gowda's accent underwent a shift.

'The progress of new rail projects has badly been hit because of lapses on the part of the state government. Law and order is a state subject. The state government is responsible for acquiring land and initiating moves for environment clearances. The state government has to share 50 per cent of the total expense incurred on rail projects and construction of road over-bridges, but it has not paid due amounts on time,' he told mediapersons at BJP state headquarters.

However, he emphasised that he was committed to smoothly completing the pending projects.

www.railnews.co.in