Rail project changes track

Land acquisition notification withdrawn due to change of route

The district administration has been acquiring land along the route specified by the Railway department. However, with the department now changing the route for the rail link, the land acquisition process is expected to be delayed by another year.

The lack of coordination between the department and district administration regarding the land acquisition had in itself delayed the project earlier. But the change of route has now posed new problems.

Changes proposed

The department has withdrawn the acquisition notification of certain lands for the railway line in Ganajalakheda village of Gulbarga taluk. As a result of which, the notification issued by the district administration in 2009 to acquire 21 acre 14 guntas of land in survey numbers 27 and 28, has now been dropped.

Executive Engineer of the Railways, M Venkateshwara Rao has written a letter to the deputy commissioner citing technical reasons for the change of route. The route has undergone complete change in Kapanoora, Belur, Ganajalakheda, Avaraada, Bennura, and Kaginamaradagi villages of Gulbarga taluk and partial change in Tajasultanpura.

Approval for land acquisition has to be obtained within one year of publication of the notification. Any delay in this behalf would give scope for litigation putting the district administration in a fix. The notification has been therefore withdrawn to avoid such complication. Sources said that the district administration has decided not to act until the Railway Department submits a new proposal.

The sudden change of plans by the Railway department, which will delay the project further, has come under scathing criticism. Of the 106.06-km long rail link, 54 km is in Gulbarga, while 52 km is in Bidar. While the land acquisition process is complete in Bidar, about 156 acres have been acquired in Gulbarga.

The State government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore for the project, while the Centre has extended just Rs 5 crore. Gulbarga MP, Union Minister Mallikarajun Kharge had promised that the project would be completed after Dharam Singh’s victory from Bidar Lok Sabha constituency. However, locals allege that the minster has neither pressurised the Centre for speedy completion  of the project nor for additional funds.