Fresh stir plan for much awaited rail route
COOCH BEHAR, June 29: Executive committee of the CPI-M dominated New Railway Demand Committee (NRDC) will discuss over organising a fresh movement at a meeting to be held on 9 July. The NRDC is struggling since 1995 for a rail route from New Maynaguri of Jalpaiguri district to Jogighopa in Assam.
NRDC sources said that they lodged a complaint to the state land and land reforms minister Mr Abdur Rezzak Molla over the slow pace in acquiring land for the proposed rail project in Cooch Behar district. They blamed the district administration for its lack of initiative.
Expressing his displeasure, the joint convener of NRDC and also the secretary of Cooch Behar district CPI-M, Mr Chandi Pal said that the role of Cooch Behar district administration in acquiring of land is not satisfactory. The proposed railway is very much needed for development of this region but the Cooch Behar district administration failed to do the needful. Seeing the situation they had to make a complaint to the state land and land reforms minister, Mr Pal said. They also conveyed the matter to the chairman of the Railway Standing Committee Mr Basudeb Acharya (MP), Mr Pal added.
It was learnt that Mr Abdur Rezzak Molla would visit Cooch Behar on 8 July to take an on-the-spot account of the progress of land acquisition. State forest minister Mr Ananta Roy will also request the land and land reforms minister to intervene to speed up the process in land acquisition.
NRDC sources said that Cooch Behar district administration was directed by the higher authority to acquire land for laying of the rail track along the proposed route in Cooch Behar district dated back in 2003. Following massive movement organised by the NRDC, the railway authority had assured that trains would start running in a section of the proposed route in 2007. But due to slow progress in acquiring land, the completion of the project may be delayed, they feared.
When contacted, district magistrate of Cooch Behar Dr Ravi Inder Singh denied making any comment over the allegation raised against the district administration. Official sources said that out of 94-kilometre land, 62-kilometre was already acquired and handed over for the project. Acquisition process is continuing for the remaining portion, the sources added.
General secretary of Cooch Behar District Merchants Chamber of Commerce (CDMCC) Mr Rajendra Kumar Baid too came down heavily on Cooch Behar district administration for its alleged indifference in acquiring land for the New Maynaguri- Jogighopa rail project. Mr Baid said that the rail project is required not only for total industrialisation of Cooch Behar and adjacent areas but also for the people of Assam and northeast region. For the interest of the region the concerned authorities should add momentum for implementation of the project. But, in Cooch Behar the district administration is going ahead in a snail’s pace. Lack of adequate infrastructure and other facilities in the Chakchaka Industrial Growth Centre in Cooch Behar is also keeping the prospective entrepreneurs away from this district, he alleged.
Mr Baid also said that on earlier occasions they were promised that the Cooch Behar airport would start functioning in April. But, additional two months went away without any outcome. They learnt that due to slow progress in removing all obstacles to make the airport operational, it is getting delayed, he alleged. The CDMCC general secretary declared that they would organise an agitation within a few days demanding speedy work. They will also appeal to the state industries minister Mr Nirupam Sen to intervene because the Cooch Behar airport, the New Maynaguri –Jogighopa rail route and the Chakchaka Industrial Growth Centre are important factors for industrialisation and development of this region, Mr Baid added.
Cooch Behar DM Dr Singh denied making any comment over the allegations raised by Mr Baid. []
PHOTO : NRDC joint convener Mr Chandi Pal.
