Militancy forces Cost Escalation in Udhampur- Srinagar Rail Line Project

New Delhi/Jammu, March 11 (Scoop News) –  Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee admitted in Rajya Sabha today that the cost of Udhampur – Srinagar – Baramulla Rail Line Project has escalated to Rs. 19565 crores because of various factors including enhancement in security provisions due to adverse law and order situation.  She said that the initial cost of the project was assessed at Rs. 4550 crore in 2002.  

Tarun Vijay had asked that whether the Railways had started constructing Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) Project at Katra-Qazigund section with August 2007 as a target.   Mamata Banerjee said that Qazigund-Baramulla (119 km) section has already been completed and commissioned while Qazigund-Banihal (19 km) section and Udhampur-Katra (25 km) section are targeted for completion in 2012-13. 

Expressing dismay and dissatisfaction at the replies given by Mamata Banerjee Tarun Vijay said that she has avoided answering inconvenient questions but she had to admit that terrorism has contributed in the atrocious cost escalation of the project.  

Tarun Vijay said that UPA Government is not only known for shielding the biggest wealth looters of India but is also making poor and common people of India pay through their noses the huge cost escalations in such projects which are results of Government’s failure to curb terrorism causing delays.  He said that terrorism has not only bled the nation but has also affected badly the poor and struggling masses of the country who are deprived of the development due to ‘adverse law and order situation’ as Government has accepted