Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot urges PM Modi to restart stalled railway projects

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged PM Narendra Modi to restart the sanctioned and stalled railway projects of the state on priority.

He said the majority, around 42% of the New Rewari-New Madar section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) crosses Rajasthan for Gujarat. “We have demanded that a railway station should be made in Bhiwadi town as it has a Japanese investment zone, the first-of-its-kind in India, with around 6521 industrial units,” he said.

Speaking about the virtual inauguration of WDFC by PM Modi, the Rajasthan CM said, “A number of projects of Rajasthan, which were sanctioned and had been started are stalled due to some reasons. The PM should take them up on priority and restart the projects.”

Gehlot said projects such as Sarmathura-Gangapur via the Karauli railway line was inaugurated but closed later; the Pushkar-Medta road railway line, and Chauth ka Barwada to Ajmer via Tonk railway line work too have been stalled.

“The state had 50% partnership in the Banswar-Dungarpur-Ratlam project, benefitting the tribal area adjoining Gujarat. The state had given around Rs 250 crore and the work had started but later due to some reasons it was stalled. I urge the Centre to resume the work on priority but as the state isn’t in a sound position, the entire expenditure now has to be borne by the Railways,” said the CM.

“Oil and Gas is there in Jaisalmer and Barmer – the country’s 20% oil is supplied from Barmer. Now the refinery work has also started. The demand for a rail line to connect the Mundra-Kandla port with Jaisalmer-Barmer is there for the last 40 years, which is justified looking to the future,” said Gehlot.

The CM added that the gauge conversion of the Loharu-Sikar-Reengus rail line had been done but the operation of trains has not started yet.

Welcoming the PM’s move of giving a major part of the WDFC to Rajasthan, the CM said the state is committed to the cause but how the Delhi–Mumbai industrial corridor will be made and developed along the Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor continues to remain a big challenge.