The poll-bound West Bengal has received a nod for a host of new railway lines by the railway ministry. Four new lines in Eastern Railway and construction of six new lines in the South Eastern Railway had been sanctioned.
According to the ER, the railway ministry has taken initiatives for de-freezing four new line projects in North 24-Parganas/Nadia District and its adjacent areas of West Bengal as a boost to local and regional socio-economic development. These new line projects including Bangaon-Poramaheshtala (20 km) new line project, Bangaon-Chandabazar (11.5 km) New Line project, Chandabazar-Bagdah (13.8 km) New Line project and Ranaghat (Aranghata) – Duttapulia (8.17 km) New Line project.
One of the four lines, Bangaon-Chandabazar (11.5 km) New Line, would be facilitating railway connectivity extended up to Chandabazar from Bangaon Junction. The project would include three major bridges and one minor bridge in this section. New platform with shelter, foot over bridge, ticket counter, including a station building will be constructed for passenger facilities. The railway line project constitutes critical infrastructure proposals aimed at expanding the rail network in the border town areas of Bongaon. Strategically, it will strengthen border connectivity near the India-Bangladesh border, aiding national security and supporting future cross-border cooperation.
The Bongaon-Poramaheshtala (20 km) new line would facilitate railway connectivity from Bongaon to Poramaheshtala towards Kalyani having one major bridge and 37 minor bridges in this section. The third line named the Chandabazar-Bagdah (13.8 km) new line project will meander all along parallel to Bangaon-Bagdah State Highway and would connect Chandabazar to Bagdah. It is aimed at expanding rail connectivity while boosting trade linked to Petrapole land port and supporting local agriculture by enabling faster, cheaper transport of goods.
The fourth project of the ER is the Ranaghat (Aranghata) – Duttapulia (8.17 km) new line. In the present setup, people of Duttapulia and its neighbouring villages have no direct rail transport facilities. Aranghata, which is the nearest rail head, is about 9 km from the locality of Duttapulia. To avail train services, people of 280 sq km area have to travel about 9 km by costly and unreliable roadways. This 8.17 km new line will connect Arangahta to Duttapulia. The new line has been planned to take off from a suitable location at Aranghata.
The new line alignment will proceed east up to Duttapulia, keeping parallel to the state highway.
Like the Eastern Railway, the South Eastern Railway has got sanction by the Railway Board for construction work for six new railway lines in West Bengal. The projects include, Kanthi-Egra New Line which is of 26.2 km and would cover the East Medinipur district of West Bengal. The line will be constructed at a cost of about rupees 247.28 crores and would be a new Rail connectivity in this area. The second project, Nandkumar-Balaipanda New Line, will cover the East Midnapore district. The line will be constructed at a cost of 275.14 crores (approx). This will be a new rail connectivity in this area. Likewise, the Nandigram-Kandiamari (Nayachar) New Line spanning over seven km, will cover the East Midnapore district. The third line called Bowaichandi-Arambagh New Line is 31 km long and will be constructed at a cost of about Rs 267.37 crores. The new line would span over a length of 24.4 km being constructed at a cost of Rs 38.92 crore. The sixth line of the SER is the Bankura (Kalabati)-Purulia via Hura New Line is 65 km long covering Bankura and Purulia will be constructed at a cost of around Rs 294.89 crore.