Chennai: Countering Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav’s charge that land acquisition for railway projects was slow in Tamil Nadu, chief minister M K Stalin blamed the Union govt for the delay. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, Stalin said the railways did not sanction funds for acquisition of 931 hectares out of 2,500 hectares for which administrative sanction was granted for acquisition of land to implement various railway projects.
“Timely payment of compensation to landowners is an essential prerequisite for completing the land acquisition process,” Stalin said. For an extent of 296 hectares meant for two projects, Stalin said, the revised land plan schedule (LPS) was received only recently from the railways. Administrative sanction for land acquisition for the two projects will be issued shortly, he said. Stalin said 94% of the land acquisition has been completed for 19 major ongoing railway projects in the state. “Out of 1,273 hectares of land pertaining to 19 major ongoing railway projects, land acquisition works were completed for an extent of 1,198 hectares (94%), and the same were handed over to the railways,” Stalin said. However, the railways has not furnished the LPS for five projects, Stalin urged Modi to ensure that the required funds for sanctioned projects are allotted without delay, reconsider and restart the important projects that have been kept in abeyance by the Railways, which included Tuticorin- Madurai (Via Aruppukottai) road gauge Line and Tindivanam – Tiruvannamalai broad gauge line project (for which Administrative Sanctions have already been issued for acquisition of 931,52.96 hectares). He also wanted Modi to ‘consider sanctioning additional new railway projects commensurate with Tamil Nadu’s economic stature and developmental needs.’
