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Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: As per Vision Document 2020, the Centre has planned to connect all northeastern State capitals by 2020 except Sikkim, in which case, a new line work has been sanctioned upto Rangpo in the first phase. The capitals of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura States have been connected by broad gauge (BG) rail network.
Great emphasis has been given by the Central Government during the last 5 years towards quick execution of infrastructure and safety projects and funding to the infrastructure projects has increased considerably. The average annual expenditure in New Line/Gauge Conversion/Doubling infrastructure projects during 2014-19 was Rs 25,894 crore per year as against Rs 11,527 crore per year during 2009-14 which is around 125% more than during 2009-14. The average allotment per year for northeastern States was Rs 2,121 crore per year from 2009-14. However, it increased 161% to Rs 5,531 crore per year for this region during 2014-19.
In Arunachal Pradesh, a BG railway line was commissioned in February, 2015 upto Naharlagun (suburban city of Itanagar) and the first broad gauge (BG) train was flagged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Naharlagun (Itanagar) to New Delhi.
Works of the new BG lines have been taken up by Railways by its own fund to connect the remaining capitals of the northeastern States i.e. Meghalaya (Shillong), Manipur (Imphal), Nagaland (Kohima), Mizoram (Aizawl) and Sikkim (Gangtok).
Details with present status of these projects are as under:
(1) Manipur: The project of BG line connectivity from Jiribam to Imphal (110.62 km) in Manipur State was sanctioned in 2003-04. The latest anticipated cost of the project is Rs 13,809 crore and expenditure of Rs 6,969.49 crore has been incurred on the project upto 31.03.2019. The section from Jiribam to Vangaichungpao (12 km) was commissioned in March, 2017 and works from Vangaichungpao-Tupul-Imphal (98.62 km) have been taken up throughout the length. Target date for completion is 3 years after complete land is handed over to the Railways.
(2) Mizoram: The project of BG line connectivity from Bhairabi to Sairang (51.38 km) (suburban city of Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram) in Mizoram was sanctioned in 2008-09. The latest anticipated cost of the project is Rs. 4,968 crore and the land could be made available in 2014-15 and work speeded up from 2015-16 and the expenditure of Rs 1,958.09 crore has been incurred on the project upto 31.03.2019.
(3) Nagaland: The project of BG line connectivity from Dimapur (Dhansiri) – Zubza (Kohima) (82.50 km) (suburban city of Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland) in Nagaland was sanctioned in 2006-07. The latest anticipated cost of the project is Rs 3,000 crore and the work speeded up from September, 2018 and the expenditure of Rs 626.67 crore has been incurred on the project upto 31.03.2019.
(4) Meghalaya: Two projects of BG line have been taken up for capital connectivity of Meghalaya. (i) New BG line from Tetelia – Byrnihat (21.50 km) in Meghalaya was sanctioned in 2006-07. The latest anticipated cost of the project is Rs 1,532 crore and the work speeded up from 2014-15. 10-km length of the project falling in Assam from Tetelia to Kamalajari got completed in October, 2018 and expenditure of Rs 515.82 crore has been incurred upto 31.03.2019. (ii) New BG line from Byrnihat to Shillong (108.40 km) was sanctioned in 2010-11. The latest anticipated cost of the project is Rs 6,000 crore and the expenditure of Rs 252.68 crore has been incurred on the project upto 31.03.2019. Target date for completion not fixed
(5) Sikkim: The project of BG line connectivity from Sivok to Rangpo (44.39 km) was sanctioned in 2008-09. The latest anticipated cost of the project is Rs 4,085.69 crore and the expenditure of Rs 554.46 crore has been incurred on the project upto 31.03.2019. However, the project is suffering for a long time as the Government of West Bengal has not given encumbrance free land (77.78 Hectare forest land after cutting of trees) to Railway due to which, even the timely finalization of tenders is getting affected.