NEW DELHI, July 6: Laloo Prasad?s maiden Railway Budget has no new projects and trains for the Northeast. The UPA Government?s Railway Budget 2004-2005 has come as a disappointment to those expecting major announcements, as the Railway Minister tried to share the credit with his predecessor, Nitish Kumar, who announced the introduction of a number of trains less than five months ago.
As far as the north eastern region (NER) is concerned, the Budget has little to offer by way of new projects. A new train Guwahati-Delhi Poorvottar Sampark Kranti Express was announced in the Interim Budget presented by the previous NDA Government. The Railway Ministry has decided to continue with the Sampark Kranti Express trains. Among the 32 new trains, a weekly train service Guwahati-Jha Jha Express via Jaisidih has been announced today. However, services of none of the trains under N F Railway have been extended. Neither has the frequency of any of the trains out of the region been increased.
Only one section Samukhtala Road-New Bongaigaon of New Jalpaiguri-New Bongaigaon has been proposed to be completed. The NER has been left out of new survey for new lines; neither has any survey being proposed for conversion of tracks. A budgetary provision of only Rs 3 crore has been made for Rangiya-Murkongselek. The two major ongoing projects including the Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge and Lumding-Silchar gauge conversion projects have not been given the desired budgetary allocations. For the Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge linking Dibrugarh and North Bank (estimated length 46 km) a sum of Rs 60 crore has been earmarked. For the Lumding-Silchar alignment and extension project Rs 70 crore has been provided.
The Budget has provided Rs 1 crore for Lumding-Dibrugarh including branch lines of Haibargaon-Manibari and Senchoa-Silghat. A meagre Rs 20 lakh has been provided for the road overbridge at Athgaon in Guwahati. The Railways have projected an expenditure of Rs 59.21 crore. For the new line construction on Jogighopa-Guwahati rail-cum-road bride, Rs 98 lakh has been provided. A budgetary provision of Rs 3 crore has been made for Jiribum-Imphal line.
Earlier, in his Budget address Laloo Prasad said so far as the targets for completion of projects for the current year is concerned, equal importance is being given to all the regions of the country. Accordingly, the work of new line from Jiribam to Imphal (Tupul) which was sanctioned in the course of last year is being taken up. The conversion of Lumding-Silchar MG line and work of new line from Kumarghat to Agartala will also be expedited and a programme will be made out for their time bound completion, he announced.
In order to improve the management of the parcel traffic, which generates earnings of about Rs. 500 crore annually, it is necessary to computerise the working of the entire parcel system. To start with, a pilot project is being proposed this year at an estimated cost of Rs 2 crore, linking Howrah and Delhi area in the major parcel traffic corridor of New Delhi?Howrah?Guwahat, the Railway Minister said. This will result in better planning, expeditious clearance, easy tracing of parcels and thereby result in reduced over-carriage and claims.
Meanwhile, while the region?s Congress MPs have welcomed the Budget, the opposition MPs have termed it as a populist affair. Biren Singh Ingti of Congress said that the focus of the Budget was on completion of ongoing projects with emphasis on passenger amenities. He said the UPA Budget has focused on projects that the previous NDA Government did not pay attention to. He said that the Railway Ministry has been moved to resort back to its original plans of touching Diphu. The proposed line to Karong was diverted bypassing Diphu following a hue-and-cry. Sri Ingti said that the Railway Ministry should stick to its original plan.
Dr Arun Kumar Sarma of AGP was not happy with the Railway Budget pointing out that there was nothing special for the NER. At the present rate of sanctions the Bogibeel bridge would take years to complete. He also assailed the Railway Minister for not sanctioning any new survey work in the region. Later he made a submission under Rule 377 demanding another rail-cum-road bridge over Brahmaputra at Chandrapur linking Guwahati.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Railway Budget, Lalitmohan Suklabaidya said that though he was not satisfied with the allocation for the Lumding-Silchar gauge conversion project, he saw hope in the statement of the Railway Minister who assured time-bound completion of projects. Later, the Karimganj MP also made a submission under Rule 377 demanding that the gauge conversion project be completed within two years. He called for early restoration of rail links with Guwahati.