The Ministry of Finance (MoF)
has decided to release Rs 150 million for acquistion of land for the
purpose of expanding and upgrading the country´s only existing railway
line and building new railway track to connect Rani Sikiyahi and
Biratnagar.
The government had floated a plan to upgrade the existing Janakpur-Jayanagar railway line linking Bardibas long ago. Recently, it had also laid plans to build a new railway line from Rani Sikiyahi to Biratnagar.
But Tulsi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), informed that the sum allocated by MoF was not enough to compensate the people for acquisition of their land.
"We need at least Rs 1.25 billion to acquire land for upgradation of the Janakpur-Bijulpura rail track and building new railway line from Rani Sikiyahi to Biratnagar," he said.
As of now, MoPPW has only been able to collect a total of Rs 390 million -- Rs 190 million from MoF and Rs 200 million from MoPPW.
The Indian government, which had agreed to build the railway track from Rani Sikiyahi to Biratnagar and upgrade the Janakpur-Bijulpura track, has been postponing the construction work citing failure of the Nepal government to arrange adequate land. As per the agreement between Nepal and India, the Indian government will have to bear construction expenses, while the Nepal government will have to allocate money for land acquisition.
The Indian government had agreed to upgrade the railway track from narrow gauge to broad gauge. "We need to acquire the land as soon as possible," secretary Sitaula said.
According to Sitaula, locals have been asked not to use their land for the last one year but the government has not been able to compensate them. He, however, expressed hope that the ministry may be able to start distributing compensation by next week. He also informed that the amount will be initially released to compensate land owners along the Janakpur- Bijulpura railway line. "After this we can request India to start upgrading the tracks," he said.
According to DoR, a total of 220 hectares of land is acquired to upgrade Janakpur-Bijulpura rail track to broad gauge. "Since land in Janakpur is expensive, the amount we have may not be enough," said a DoR official.
Interestingly, parliament´s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had directed MoF to release the required amount to upgrade and expand the railway track last August.
"The released amount is not sufficient but it somehow is enough to get the work started," said Hridayesh Tripathi, minister for physical planning and works. "The good thing is that, we can at least compensate some of the land owners."
The government had floated a plan to upgrade the existing Janakpur-Jayanagar railway line linking Bardibas long ago. Recently, it had also laid plans to build a new railway line from Rani Sikiyahi to Biratnagar.
But Tulsi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), informed that the sum allocated by MoF was not enough to compensate the people for acquisition of their land.
"We need at least Rs 1.25 billion to acquire land for upgradation of the Janakpur-Bijulpura rail track and building new railway line from Rani Sikiyahi to Biratnagar," he said.
As of now, MoPPW has only been able to collect a total of Rs 390 million -- Rs 190 million from MoF and Rs 200 million from MoPPW.
The Indian government, which had agreed to build the railway track from Rani Sikiyahi to Biratnagar and upgrade the Janakpur-Bijulpura track, has been postponing the construction work citing failure of the Nepal government to arrange adequate land. As per the agreement between Nepal and India, the Indian government will have to bear construction expenses, while the Nepal government will have to allocate money for land acquisition.
The Indian government had agreed to upgrade the railway track from narrow gauge to broad gauge. "We need to acquire the land as soon as possible," secretary Sitaula said.
According to Sitaula, locals have been asked not to use their land for the last one year but the government has not been able to compensate them. He, however, expressed hope that the ministry may be able to start distributing compensation by next week. He also informed that the amount will be initially released to compensate land owners along the Janakpur- Bijulpura railway line. "After this we can request India to start upgrading the tracks," he said.
According to DoR, a total of 220 hectares of land is acquired to upgrade Janakpur-Bijulpura rail track to broad gauge. "Since land in Janakpur is expensive, the amount we have may not be enough," said a DoR official.
Interestingly, parliament´s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had directed MoF to release the required amount to upgrade and expand the railway track last August.
"The released amount is not sufficient but it somehow is enough to get the work started," said Hridayesh Tripathi, minister for physical planning and works. "The good thing is that, we can at least compensate some of the land owners."
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