Rly delay to achieve new line targets

New Delhi: Indian Railways has blamed delays in land acquisition and forestry clearances for not being able to achieve the ‘new line’ targets during the Tenth Plan period (2002-07). During this period, Railways was able to build 920 km of new line against a target of 1,310 km.

“Land acquisition is a very serious problem…We have not been able to complete many projects today because of land. We are working on a plan on how to get power to the Central Government for land acquisition,” the Railway Board Chairman has stated in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Railways report on ‘Review of Plan Performance and the 11th Five-Year Plan projections’.

Soaring land price is another problem area, according to Railways. “Take Rohtak-Rewari line. The original land value was said to be Rs 23 crore; the State Government said that they would share the cost of the project. The cost of project was less than Rs 300 crore. But the land value has (now) become Rs 130 crore,” the Member-Engineering stated.

“Forestry clearance is a long drawn process starting from State level to the Ministry of Environment level it does take about two years’ time. Then even compensatory afforestation is to be done; land to be found for that purpose and Railways cannot afford that. Land has to be found from the State Governments,” he stated.

The shortage of capable contractors is also an issue. “There is a shortage of capacity in the country. Shortage is so severe that for bridging Ganga at Patna and Munger, (only) two parties in the country want to do that work. I wish there were more parties,” the Member Engineering stated.

However, the Parliamentary Committee has said it is not satisfied with reasons such as land acquisition, contractual failure, forestry clearance, etc put forward by the Railways as these are perennially being cited by the Railways for non-completion of targets.