By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Inauguration of much-awaited Dudhnoi-Mendipathar railway project will be delayed due to slow implementation.
Sources here said that the NF Railways is dilly-dallying the implementation citing ‘various reasons’.
“There are some problems only on a short stretch, but the railways claim that their work was affected due to various reasons,” sources said here on Monday.
The sanctioned cost of the project was Rs 86.22 crore, but the revised cost could be approximately Rs 144 crore.
This is one of the 45 new projects scheduled to be completed in 2012-13.
Earlier, the project was targeted to be completed by March this year.
North Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner W Khyllep on Monday said the railway authorities have informed the administration that they would finish the work till Assam-Meghalaya border by March this year and the work till Mendipathar would be completed by June.
It may be mentioned that 65.09 hectares of land was handed over to NF Railways for the project in September 2011.
The areas which will be covered by the railway line are Nolbari-Deuripara, Boromiapara , Chotomiapara , Mataranga, Manikganj, Horingkata, Bakenang-Tilapara and Mendipathar.
Meanwhile, the Congress manifesto on Monday claimed that the first railway link in Meghalaya will be ready by March 2013 from Dudhnoi to Mendipathar. A second initiative to link Jaintia Hills with Silchar in Assam is also underway, it stated.