Bhagalpur, Jan. 30: The Indian Railway’s decision to shelve three of its projects under the private-public partnership (PPP) mode has left the people of the Kosi region fuming. They have started blaming railway minister Mamata Banerjee for the decision.
“The proposed railway projects would have generated many jobs in the region where the Kosi floods had ruined the economy,” Giridhar Mahto, a resident, said. Local RJD MLA from Madhepura Chandra Shekhar Yadav has threatened a mass agitation, while local MP Sharad Yadav has termed it as an “anti-people policy” by the UPA-led government at the Centre.
During his tenure as Union railway minister, Lalu Prasad had announced the proposed electric locomotive factory at Madhepura in 2005. The following year, he laid the foundation stone for the Rs 1,500-crore project. On two occasions, Lalu represented the Madhepura parliamentary seat.
The Indian Railway subsequently acquired 100 acres of land for the project at Sripur Chakla Chak 3km to the west of Madhepura town from more than 300 farmers of which more than 150 have received compensation against their land.
“We had apprehended the ill motive of the Indian Railway when the railway minister Mamata Banerjee, in the last railway budget, had allotted a meagre Rs 10 lakh for the proposed railway factory,” said Monoj Kumar of Sripur locality.
MP Sharad Yadav was not available for comment. Ramashis Yadav, a JD (U) activist, said: “Suspension of the Kancharapara railway project in Bengal compelled Mamata Banerjee to shift the ongoing projects announced earlier out of Bihar and take them to Bengal.
Meanwhile, speaking at a programme in Chhapra, BJP state president Dr C.P. Thakur today blamed RJD chief Lalu Prasad for staying mum on the Marhaura diesel engine factory, which is facing threat of suspension because of an economic downswing as claimed by the railways.
This would affect Lalu’s project that he launched in 2007. Dr Thakur alleged that projects are being aborted in Bihar, particularly in Lalu’s own parliamentary constituency.
He was supporting the Congress at the Centre in spite of talking to Mamata Banerjee and exerting pressure on her not to shelve this project, Dr Thakur said. He added the BJP would meet Banerjee to urge and pressurise not to abandon this project.
