New Delhi: The Lanka-Sutnga Railway Project, once considered to be economically unviable, has now been bracketed as a ‘national project’ by the Union Government, official sources said here on Sunday.
The Planning Commission is now ‘examining’ the strategic mega project as a National Project, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.
Once the project is declared a national one there would not be problem for funding since the Prime Minister’s Office will provide funds for such few but selected projects from the Central budget.
The Lanka-Sutnga railway line in Jaintia Hills (part of the Lanka-Sakhin Railway line) estimated to cost over four thousand crore rupees was to be finally extended up to Shillong for the overall socio economic development of the region.
Another project, Chandranathpur- Shillong railway line, will be integrated suitably so that the Lanka- Sutgna line can be extended upto Shillong, the sources said.
The traffic survey for Lanka-Sutgna railway line has been completed while the same for the other one is under progress, the sources said.
“Even though the Lanka-Sutnga project is not viable from economic considerations, the project has been recommended in the traffic survey from the point of view of socio-economic development,” the sources said.
The 150-km rail line to come up at a cost of Rs 4144.61 crore was included in the 2011-12 Railway budget, and is being considered as a ‘gigantic task’ considering the tough terrain and climatic conditions.
It may be reminded that Shillong MP Vincent H Pala had met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to take up the matter with the Ministry of Railways for a balanced growth and exploitation of natural resources of the hill state. People of the landlocked State would be immensely benefited from the new railway line, Pala had said during the meetings.
This line, when completed, would come as a big relief to the extremely congested National Highway 44 dotted with as many as eight cement plants and numerous coal belts. Hundreds of cement and coal laden trucks from Jaintia hills plying through this single road have created virtual nightmare for the commuters in this stretch.
A conservative estimate done by the Ministry of Railways showed that hundreds of trucks ply on National Highway 44 on a daily basis, carrying tonnes and tonnes of cement, fly ash, coal and other minerals.
On top of these there are other small and big vehicles both private and public, it added.
During the meetings, Pala had pointed out that this new railway line could become a trend setter in connectivity in the region. “Commercial and strategic priorities have to override financial considerations with regards to completion of this project,” he had written to the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission.