Chief Minister Harish Rawat has made it clear that his Government would brook no delay in the completion of the much-awaited Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail project.
While reviewing the progress report on Karnprayag-Rishikesh rail line project here in Dehradun on Saturday with Railway Development Corporation (RDC) CMD Satish Agnihotri, he said the remaining formalities should be completed at the earliest to clear the decks for the ground level execution of the project. To expedite things, the land under forest department should be transferred to the Rail Development Corporation as early as possible, he averred. He stressed on the role of the Regional Empowered Committee (REC) to clear things fast. CM said that Karnprayag-Rishikesh Rail project is one of national importance and the State government would provide all possible help to the rail department. land transfer and forest clearance issues will be expedited so that the execution of the project starts on time, he said. He also asked Agnihotri to adopt a hospital in Rishikesh under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Expressing thanks to the State government for its sincere support, RDC CMD Satish Agnihotri said that the State government is expediting the procedure of settlement of the issues which have been coming in the way of the execution of the project. “I am convinced that the remaining one or two issues that are still there will be sorted out shortly. It these issues are sorted out the Karnprayag-Rishikesh Rail project would start on the ground level by April this year,” he said.
It is learnt that around 50.3 hectare Government-owned land spread over Chamoli, Pauril, Rudraprayag and Tehri districts are to be transferred to RDC and the proposals on the land transfer have been sent to revenue council by the district magistrates concerned. It is further learnt that around 5.7 hectare land is to be transferred from different departments. However, the DMs of the districts concerned are yet to release the requisite no -objection certificates (NoC) on these lands. This is what is delaying things, sources say.
In the first phase, proposals involving 64 hectare reserve forest land are learnt to have been sent to Dehradun forest division. However, the approvals are being awaited from Regional Empowered Committee (REC). For the second phase, proposals for 244 hectare forest land spread over five forest divisions have been sent through online. However, the regional office is yet to give its positive nod regarding this piece of land.
During the meeting, chief secretary Shatrughan Singh, chief principal secretary to CM Rakesh Sharma and principal secretaries S Ramaswami and Omprakash were among other senior officers present at the meeting.