HP CM blames Central govts for slow pace of railway expansion

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the governments at the Centre have not done much for expansion of railway infrastructure in the state despite it raising the issue from time to time.
"Contrary to our expectations, we have just been given Rs 14.01 crore for various railway line schemes which is grossly inadequate," he told the state Assembly in reply to a question by Ravinder Singh Ravi of BJP.
Expressing anguish over ignoring of Himachal's request for expansion of rail network, Singh said that he had taken up the mater with the Prime Minister and Union Railway minister, and will again raise the issue.

"The total length of the Nangal-Talwara railway line is 83 km, of which work on 44 km stretch has been complete while it is in progress on a 17 km stretch up to Daulatpur," he said.
Chief Minister informed that Himachal government had paid Rs 25 lakh to the RITES Limited for conducting the survey of Bhanupalli-Bilaspur rail line.
In reply to another question regarding setting up of a cement plant at Malokhar in Bilaspur, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri reiterated that cement companies will have to bring down price of cement bags in the state.

"I want to make it clear once again that all future clearances being sought by cement companies will be granted only if they agree to reduce prices of cement bags in the state," he said.

Taking a dig at BJP, he said the MoU for setting up of the cement plant at Malokhar was signed during the BJP regime, and now its members are seeking a review of the same.
"The BJP members are now seekng a review of the MoUs signed earlier with cement plants but why they did not make these additions when they were in power," he quipped.