Maligaon, December 7 (MExN): The Government of India through Ministry of Railways is making all out efforts to improve connectivity in the Northeastern region of India by providing better railway infrastructure. This was said in a press release based on the information given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on December 6.
As per a press release from Chief Public Relations Officer, Goyal said that average annual budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully/partly in Assam and North Eastern Region during 2014-19 has been enhanced to Rs 5,531 crore per year from Rs 2,122 crore per year during 2009-14. Thus, the average annual budget allocation during 2014-19 has increased to 261% of average annual budget allocation during 2009-14.
For development of Assam and North Eastern Region, 20 projects (14 New Lines and 6 Doubling) costing Rs 73,214 crore covering a length of 1,786 km, falling fully/partly in the Assam and North Eastern Region, are under different stages of planning/ approval/ execution, said the release.
This includes 14 new line projects, covering a length of 1,303 km, costing Rs 57,826 crore.
Another project is 6 doubling projects, covering a length of 483 km, costing Rs 15,388 crore.
The Railway Minister said that thorough review of throughput enhancement projects were carried out with focused approach and the projects have been prioritized into super critical, critical and other throughput enhancement projects.
He assured of focused efforts being made by Railway for quick execution of these projects so as to get early returns to Railway.
In the overall interest of the Nation and to ensure that projects are completed in time without cost overrun, he said that monitoring was done in Railways at various levels (field level, Divisional level, Zonal level and Board level). He informed that regular meetings were held with the officials of State Government and concerned authorities to resolve the pending issues that are obstructing the progress of projects.
The Minister further said that timely completion of any Railway project including projects of capital connectivity of North Eastern States depended on various factors like quick land acquisition by State Government, forest clearance by officials of forest department, shifting of infringing utilities (both underground and over ground), statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order situation in the area of project site, number of working months in a year for particular project site due to climatic conditions, encountering unforeseen conditions like earthquake, flooding, excessive rains, strikes of labour, orders of Courts, situation and conditions of working agencies/contractors etc.
