The allocation of ₹6,636 crore to poll-bound West Bengal in the rail budget is the highest the state has ever received, Union railways minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday.
Goyal also blamed successive state governments for the delay in rail projects in the state. According to the ministry, West Bengal has 53 on-going projects including new lines, gauge conversion, doubling projects costing ₹48,275 crore for 4463 km.
He also said due to the non-availability of land as many as 34 projects in the state have received only token allotment in the Budget 2021-22.
“The allocation for West Bengal is the highest ever in the history of Indian Railways. It is 2.5 times the average amount allocated between Budget 2009-2014 and 26 per cent more than last year. Projects there remain incomplete or are delayed because the state governments-- first it was the Left Front government and now the TMC-- have been unable to provide land to us. Projects which are 45 years old are pending in the state...I appeal to Mamatadidi to expedite the process and give us land,” Goyal said at a press conference.
“Once someone became a minister, he would announce projects without first checking if there were funds available, if land was available and if the project was feasible. That is the reason why none of the projects which were announced then could be completed and there would be major cost overruns. So, inspired by politics this harmed the railways. Now, we have decided that we will start a project only after we have the land required for it,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“Once someone became a minister, he would announce projects without first checking if there were funds available, if land was available and if the project was feasible. That is the reason why none of the projects which were announced then could be completed and there would be major cost overruns. So, inspired by politics this harmed the railways. Now, we have decided that we will start a project only after we have the land required for it,” he added.
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