Crucial projects being delayed in NE
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy: The Sentinel

Guwahati, June 18 2014: The Central Government in 2012 declared 11 ongoing projects as National railway projects, of which nine belonged to the Northeast.

The whole objective of the projects was to add to the railway connectivity in the region.

All the projects have been delayed because of different reasons, the main reason being lack of adequate fund.

The nine rail projects in the Northeast are Bogibeel Bridge, Lumding�Silchar gauge conversion, Jiribam�Imphal rail line, Tetalia�Byrnihat rail line, Dimapur�Kohima rail line, Bairabi�Sairang rail line, Agartala�Sabroom rail line, Byrnihat�Shillong rail line and Rangia�Murkongselek rail line.

Of the 9 declared national rail projects in the northeast, work of some of which sanctioned way back in 1996�97 has been moving at a snail's pace mainly due to lack of fund and few other reasons.

Sources said slow progress of work and delay in completion of these projects have also pushed their costs to record high.

Records made available to this reporter revealed: "Bogibeel Bridge project over the Brahmaputra was sanctioned in 1996�97 by the Central Government and the initial target for completion of the same was fixed at 2009, but due to shortage of fund, the project completion target has been fixed at 2017.Due to deferment of work completion target, the project cost has escalated.

Actual cost of the project was Rs 4,500 crore and till March 2013, Rs 2700.64 crore was spent and another Rs 340 crore was sanctioned in the 2013�14 budget for the project.

However, the progress of the Bogibeel Project work is only 61 per cent" .

In the case of 483.73�km long Lumding�Silchar gauge conversion project, which was sanctioned in 1996�97, the initial target for completion of the project was fixed at March 2013, but due to shortage of fund, the project completion target has been deferred till December 2016 .

Initial cost of the project was Rs 4255 crore and till March 2013, Rs 3413 crore was spent and another Rs 340 crore was sanctioned in the 2013�14 budget for the project.

However, 80 per cent progress has been made in the project work.

The 125�km long Jiribam�Imphal rail line project (two phases) was sanctioned in 2003�04.Actual cost of the project was Rs 4478 crore and Rs 1229 crore was spent till March 2013 .

Another Rs 453.9 crore was sanctioned in the 2013�14 budget for the project.

However, only 27 per cent progress has been made in the project work.

For the completion of the Jiribam�Tupul rail line project, the deadline has now been fixed at March 2020 from its earlier target 2015.For the completion of the Tupul�Imphal rail line project, the deadline has now been fixed at March 2022 from its earlier target March 2017 .

The 21.5�km long Tetalia�Byrnihat rail line project was sanctioned in 2006�07.Actual cost of the project was Rs 385 crore and Rs 131.11 crore was spent till March 2013 .

Another Rs 50 crore was sanctioned in the 2013�14 budget for the project.

However, only 39 per cent progress has been made in the project work.

The date of completion of the project work has been fixed at March 2017 from its earlier target March 2016 .

The 88�km long Dimapur�Kohima rail line project was sanctioned in 2006�07.Actual cost of the project was Rs 850 crore and Rs 8.9 crore was spent till March 2013 .

Another Rs 1 crore was sanctioned in the 2013�14 budget for the project.

A mere 1 per cent progress has been made in the project work.

However, no date has been fixed for the completion of its work.

The 51.38�km long Bairabi�Sairang rail line project was sanctioned in 2008�09.Actual cost of the project was Rs 2399 crore and Rs 44.39 crore was spent till March 2013.Another Rs 77.10 crore was sanctioned in the last year for the project.

But only 4 per cent progress has been made in the project work.

However, no date has been fixed for the completion of its work.

The 110�km long Agartala�Sabroom rail line project was sanctioned in 2008�09.Actual cost of the project was Rs 1141.75 crore and Rs 455.8 crore was spent till March 2013.Another Rs 140 crore was sanctioned in the last year for the project.

But 43 per cent progress has been made in the project work.

However, the date of completion of the project work has been fixed at March 2019 from its earlier deadline December 2015 .

The 108.4�km long Byrnihat �Shillong rail line project was sanctioned in 2010�11.Actual cost of the project was Rs 4083 crore and only Rs 2 crore was spent till March 2013 .

Another Rs 1 crore was sanctioned in the last year for the project.

But no progress has been made in the project work due to protests by local groups.

The 510.33�km long Rangia�Murkongselek rail line project was sanctioned in 2003�04 .

Actual cost of the project was Rs 2232 crore and Rs 1487 crore was spent till March 2013 .

Another Rs 425 crore was sanctioned in the last year for the project.

Only 66 per cent progress has been made in the project work.

However, the project completion date has been fixed at December 2016 from its earlier deadline March 2015 .

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