SILCHAR, May 7? The Rs 1600-crore gauge conversion project between Lumding and Silchar is delayed due to several natural factors like the weather condition, rough terrain etc. However, even at the existing rate of progress, the project is likely to be completed by the year 2008. This correspondent visited some parts of the gauge conversion project sites to gather first hand knowledge of the problems faced by the Railways in implementing the ambitious project, and found that in most of the sites, the work had to be stopped due to heavy rainfall. Railway sources revealed that the working season here is too short and ?we get only about four months a year for actual work as it is not possible to carry out any major work during the rainy season.? This year, the problem aggravated due to early rainfall and the approach roads are totally damaged, making it impossible to transport heavy material and machinery to the site. Moreover, the water level of the rivers in the Barak valley rises sharply during the rainy season, leaving very little time to bring back the equipment and other heavy materials from the sites.
The terrain is also a major hurdle which the Railways have to tackle in implementing the project as in the hill section, one side of the track is steep hills and deep rivers in the other, leaving very little space for manoeuvering heavy machinery while the existing track also cannot be disturbed during the gauge conversion. Another major problem delaying the implementation of the project is the delay in land acquisition. For example, the Railways requested the Cachar district administration two years back for handing over 63 acres of land to the Railways, but till date, the land has not been handed over, which held up work in 17 different locations in the Silchar-Badarpur section. The Railways have already handed over an amount of Rs 25.98 lakh to the district administration as advance for the land. The issue was discussed in detail in the district development committee meeting, held on April 26 and it was decided that the issue should be settled immediately. Land acquisition is also problem in the North-Cachar hills district. However, the problem there is of a different kind. The Railways have already paid an amount of about Rs seven crore to the NC Hills District Council for acquiring the land, but a major portion of the Railways land in the hill district is under encroachment.
The encroachers, on the other hand, are demanding compensation from the Railways. The Railways legally cannot pay compensation to the encroachers while a massive eviction drive is also not possible due to the present socio-political situation in the district. The new BG line between Lumding and Silchar will be 201.131 km long, reducing the length by about 30 km. Railways sources said that at present full fledged work has started upto 60 km from the Lumding side between Lumding and Kalachand and upto 85 km from Silchar. The work executed now include earth work, carried out by cutting the hills with heavy machinery in some parts, construction of the bridges etc. The tunneling work is expected to start shortly and the rails will be laid in the last phase.
Giving the main features of the new line, Railways sources revealed that the number of tunnels in the new line will be reduced from 37 to 20, but the total tunnel length will be increased. Of the existing tunnels, only one can be revised in the new line as the other existing tunnels are of MG dimension and are in steep gradients. Sources revealed that the expert agencies would be engaged for tunneling work. Railway sources further pointed out that in some portions, the new lines cannot be laid side by side of the existing line as the sharp curves and the steep gradients of the existing MG line are not suitable for movement of trains in a BG line. Sources pointed out the steepest gradient in the existing line is 1/37 but that has to be reduced to 1/16 for movement of a BG train. However, the average speed of a train in the BG line will be increased to 70 km per hour from 30 km ph in the MG track. The new line will also have four new stations? New Haflong, Jatinga-Lampur, New Harangajao and Dibalong and earthwork for the construction of the stations has also started.
About 355 new bridges will have to be constructed for the BG line and this correspondent witnessed that construction work was going on in full swing in the Silchar-Badarpur section. However, Railways sources revealed that inclement weather delayed the construction work and ?We shall have to stop construction as soon as the water level of the river increases.? The approach roads to the bridges have already been damaged following early rainfall this year, making it difficult to transport materials to the sites.
Replying to a question on whether landslide would create problem in the new line, Railways sources said that landslide sometimes restrict train movement on the existing lines. Precautions like stopping with standard designs, catchment drains, flattening of the vertical slopes etc have been done to reduce the problem but ?no one can give any guarantee that landslides would never create any problem in the new BG line.? The timely completion of the project will also depend on the flow of funds. Last year, an amount of Rs 40 crore was released for the project and an amount of Rs 70 crore has been earmarked in this year?s budget.