NEW DELHI, June 15 ? The derailed Rangiya Rail Division Project is back on tracks and the much-delayed project is likely to be formally inaugurated shortly. This was the indication given to a delegation of Purbanchaliya Rail Karmi Parishad (PRKP) by Union Railway Minister, Nitish Kumar here yesterday. The AGP affiliated workers union is the latest group to petition the Centre to revive the Rangiya Rail Division Project sanctioned by the then P V Narasimha Rao Government and the foundation of which was laid way back on November 8, 1995. earlier, Rangiya Rail Division Sangram Parishad (RRDSP) had visited capital to pressing for the same demand.
As reported earlier, the Railway Minister has had already indicated revival of the project to a delegation of the State?s MPs and MLAs that included Madhab Rajbongshi and State Minister, Bhubaneswar Kalita. The Minister has assured that the project would be implemented in a phase manner and in much less cost than estimated by the NF Railways. Meanwhile, president and chief general secretary of PRKP, Thaneswar Boro and Promod Barman, respectively, told newsmen here that they have been assured, the project would be inaugurated by Railway Minister himself. The Minister, however, declined to specify a date, they added. The delegation also claimed that the Railway Ministry has given a green signal to the gauge conversion work between Rangiya and Murkongselek.
The PRKP also demanded immediate posting of a general manager (construction) a post that has been lying vacant since February. The filing up of the post is vital for completion of Railway projects in the region, they said. The delegation also submitted a memorandum with the Prime Minister?s Office in connection with the same issue. The Railway Ministry had shelved the project into the cold storage citing fund crunch and questioning economic feasibility. The division was proposed to cover the following Rangiya-Murkongselek (450 km), New Bongaigaon-Rangiya-Kamakhya (142 km), Baliapara-Bhalukpong (43 km), Rangapara-Tezpur (26 km), New Bongaigaon-Jogighopa (33 km) and Jogighopa-Kamakhya (131 km).