Tamil Nadu Railway Funding Cut by 70% for 2024-25 ..

Chennai: The railway ministry has significantly reduced funding for new railway lines in tamil Nadu for the 2024-25 fiscal year, slashing the budget by 70% compared to the interim budget announced earlier this year. The interim budget, presented in february shortly before the lok sabha elections, had allocated Rs 875 crore for various projects, but this has been cut to Rs 246 crore, according to the pink Book released by the railway ministry on Wednesday.

The substantial cut affects several key projects, including the Dharmapuri-Morappur (36 km) and Tindivanam-Nagari (180 km) lines. Additionally, funding for doubling existing lines has also been significantly reduced. This funding cut comes amidst ongoing disputes between the state and central governments over financing for Phase II of the chennai Metro rail project.

Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman's budget, presented on July 23, did not reveal the detailed fund allocations until after the parliament session, leading to accusations from CPM mp Su Venkatesan that the reduction was an attempt to hide the funding cuts. He criticized the bjp for allegedly betraying tamil Nadu.

In response, a Southern Railway spokesperson claimed that the allocation in the interim budget was a preliminary guideline and that final allocations would be adjusted based on project progress. They assured that no new line work would be delayed due to funding issues. The spokesperson also mentioned that funds are allocated based on achievable work within the year.

Despite the cuts, the Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi new line received Rs 56 crore, and the Tindivanam-Nagari line received Rs 153.27 crore, down from the Rs 350 crore initially allocated. The Dharmapuri-Morappur project saw its budget reduced from Rs 115 crore to Rs 49.37 crore, and the Erode-Palani line’s allocation fell from Rs 100 crore to just Rs 1,000. Funding for new doubling projects was also drastically reduced to Rs 1,000 each, compared to Rs 150 crore previously allocated.

R Pandiaraja, a member of the Zonal rail Users Consultative Committee, criticized the cuts as a scam and highlighted the high costs of laying new lines. He suggested that the railways should disclose land acquisition percentages and allocate funds based on project progress. The total allocation for tamil Nadu’s railway projects this year stands at Rs 6,362 crore.
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Subashini

17/08/2024 06:21 AM