Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) has expressed concern over Railways’ step motherly treatment to Bihar and allocating inadequate funds for various railway projects in Bihar. But the East Central Railway (ECR) claimed that sufficient allocation has been made in the Union Budget for different new and ongoing electrification projects in Bihar and also explained about some mega ongoing projects.
BCCI president PK Agrawal said, “Meager allocation has been made for the ongoing rail workshop projects in Bihar. It appears that the Union Government has only made an eyewash by providing marginal budgetary allocation which exhibits its level of commitment to support various railway workshop projects.” Agrawal said that an allocation of only Rs one crore for Dalmianagar wagon periodic overhauling workshop, only Rs 30 crore for Marhaura diesel locomotive manufacturing unit and Rs 35 crore for Madhepura Greenfield electric loco manufacturing factory.
The ECR CPRO Arvind Kumar Rajak said that the criticism of the BCCI was unfounded since the Madhepura and Marhaura plants are to be established under PPP mode with railway’s share only 20 per cent . the railways has to arrange for the land acquisition and electricity and the land issue has
settled. The remaining spending has to be made by the selected companies.
Rajak said that the work on the rail engine shed for the repair and maintenance of 100 electric engines at Barauni was almost complete and would be made operational very soon therefore the allocation made in the Budget was sufficient. About the Dalmianagar wagon overhauling workshop, he said this would be established once the scraps of Dalmianagar factory was cleared and it would take time that was the reason for the little allocation.