NFR admits its failure to achieve rail project on time

Agartala, Oct 17 (UNI) Northeastern Frontier Railway (NFR) has admitted of failing to achieve the Rs 700 crore Kumarghat-Agartala railway project on time.

The project was scheduled to be completed by March 2007 but had been rescheduled to December 2007, NFR General Manager (open line) Anil Kumar Sanwalka said.

Mr Sanwalka, who visited the various work sites here on October 15 had met the Chief Secretary R K Mathur along with Transport Minister Manik Dey and Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Badal Chowdhury at the Secretariat yesterday regarding this.

Talking to newspersons yesterday, the GM said the railway workers faced several problems at the tunnel sites in Longtrai Valley and Atheramura Range hence were not able to complete it by the destined time.

'' Weak rock strata and poor quality soil particularly in the Atharamura project is the root cause of the delay," he said.

He also said soil experts from Dhanbad's Central Mining Research Institute (CMRI had extended help to the rail officials in the tunnel works.

Asked upon projects present status, Mr Sanwalka said nearly 75 per cent of the work had been completed and the rest would be completed by December next and about 50 major and 170 minor bridges have been completed.

He further added that NFR had plans to convert the Kumarghat- Agartala meter gauge into broad gauge project by 2009.

UNI PD PB PP DB1541