Land acquisition delays holding up 4 railway projects in Punjab: Vaishnaw

Chandigarh: Four railway projects in Punjab are facing delays due to pending land acquisition, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Rajya Sabha, underscoring that timely completion depends significantly on cooperation from the state govt.Union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asserted that the success and timely completion of railway projects in Punjab largely depend on the cooperation and support of the Punjab govt, particularly in expediting land acquisition and statutory clearances. He said that several important railway projects in the state are facing delays due to pending land acquisition issues.Replying to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu regarding the status of railway projects in Punjab, Vaishnaw said that while the govt of India is fully geared up to plan, sanction and execute railway infrastructure works, progress on the ground is closely linked to support from the state govt. He pointed out that delays in land acquisition adversely impacted the pace of several projects.The Railway minister informed that a total of 9 railway projects — comprising 4 new line projects and 5 doubling projects — are currently in various stages of planning, sanctioning and execution in Punjab. These projects cover a total length of 714 km and involve an estimated investment of Rs 21,926 crore. Out of this, 115 km was already commissioned, and an expenditure of Rs 8,079 crore was incurred up to March 2025.Listing the projects affected due to delays in land acquisition, Vaishnaw said that the Firozpur–Patti new line project is pending due to non-acquisition of 166 hectares of land. The Alal–Himmatana chord line project is facing delays, with 20 hectares of land yet to be acquired. Similarly, 151 hectares of land are pending for the Qadian–Beas new line project, while the Rama Mandi (Raman)–Talwandi Sabo new line project is awaiting acquisition of 85 hectares.He further stated that the Mukerian–Talwara new line project is also held up due to issues related to the availability of earth from mud mining required for laying the railway line, which is pending approval with the Punjab govt.Vaishnaw highlighted that the Union govt took several measures to ensure speedy approval and implementation of railway projects across the country. These include the setting up of Gati Shakti units, prioritisation of key projects, a substantial increase in fund allocation for priority works, delegation of powers at the field level, close monitoring of project progress at multiple levels, and regular follow-up with state govts and concerned authorities to expedite land acquisition, forestry and wildlife clearances, and resolve other project-related issues. He noted that these initiatives led to a significant increase in the rate of commissioning of railway projects since 2014.The Railway minister clarified that the sanctioning of railway projects depends on multiple factors, including anticipated traffic and financial viability, first- and last-mile connectivity, bridging missing links, decongestion of saturated routes, demands raised by state govts and public representatives, the Railways' operational requirements, socio-economic considerations, and overall availability of funds.He reiterated that with timely support from the Punjab govt, pending railway projects in the state could be completed expeditiously, significantly improving connectivity and boosting economic development.