Indore: MP govt’s non-cooperative attitude delays project

Indore: An RTI reply reveals how serious is state government for completing railway projects. An example is Indore-Manmad new broad gauge railway line. An RTI reply by railway department has stated that since MP state government has yet not given consent for cost sharing, the project could not be started.

Former railway minister Suresh Prabhu had announced approval of Rs 10,000 crore for 339-km long Indore-Manmad new broad guage project in railway budget of 2016-17. As per earlier proposal, the project had to executed on cost sharing between railway ministry and MP and Maharashtra, as the railway line will be pass through both the states.

Thus out of Rs 10,000 crore, Rs 5,000 crore were to be contributed by railway ministry while remaining sum of Rs 5000 crore, which means Rs 2,500 crore each was to be contributed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Taking note of importance of project, which provides short route for transportation of containers dispatched from Pithampur to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Mumbai, the union shipping ministry announced to bear the contribution cost of both the states.

Union shipping minister Nitin Gadkari and Suresh Prabhu inked a MOU in this regard. Later, shipping ministry took up this project. Accordingly, it constituted Indian Port Rail Corporation Limited (IPRCL), which took Indore-Manmad rail line as its maiden project. But both states were required to contribute the gap funding.

The reply to RTI query said, “Government of Madhya Pradesh has not given consent for cost sharing of portion falling in MP. Hence, after completion of land acquisition, getting consent from MP government and completing other formalities, the work will be started.” Meanwhile, Indore-Manmad Rail Struggle committee has warned that they will raise this matter at Indore Bench of MP High Court, which is hearing a petition in this regard.