Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh confessed in the House that he is pained to see the Centre’s neglect towards State’s railway network and is making all efforts to strengthen it.
Replying to a question asked by BJP MlA Ravinder Singh Ravi, the Chief Minister said that for the railway projects in the State, total of Rs14.1 crore budgetary provisions have been made. He said that for Nangal Dam-Talwada railway line Rs10 crore has been proposed, for Bhanpalli-Bilaspur railway line Rs4 crore (Rs2 crore capital and Rs2 crore on PPP mode) has been earmarked and for Chandigarh-Baddi railway line Rs0.01 crore has been earmarked. He added that for Nangal Dam-Talwada railway network, the Centre has 100 per cent contribution and for Bhanupalli-Bilaspur railway line, the State Government has 25 per cent contribution with 75 per cent by the Centre.
“For Chandigarh-Baddi railway line, the ratio of contribution is still undecided,” he said. Ravi in his supplementary question cited the first budget speech given by Chief Minister in 1983-84 and said that he had been laying emphasis from his first budget speech but still Nangal Dam- Talwada line has not been completed.
Singh said, “The total length of Nangal Dam-Talwada railway line is 83 km and till now only 44 km has been completed. “I am certainly not happy with the progress and I have written a letter to Prime Minister, Railway Minister and Finance Minister to give priority to the State,” added the Chief Minister.