Retrieving land allotted to Tata project not easy: Banerjee

Kolkata, Dec 13 (ANI): Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that it would not be easy for the West Bengal government to take back land allotted to Tata Motors in Singur.

A year ago, Tata Motors was forced to abandon is Nano car project in West Bengal, after Banerjee spearheaded a massive protest against the acquisition of farmers' land at Singur.

The state government now wants to utilise this unused land to set up a railway coach factory.

Earlier this week, the West Bengal government had agreed to Banerjee's proposal to set up a railway coach factory in Singur.

Banerjee however, said that transferring the ownership of land from the Tatas would be difficult.

"The government can call for a visit only if it owns the land. I will visit only if I have the right. There is a government-to-government system. Now the possession is with them (Tata Motors), they have to call for a visit. Then my officials can go. Here someone else (state government) is trying to sell land on behalf of some other owner. First let me know if the land is yours? You have handed it over under a contract to another party. Even in the Assembly you (state government) have said, as far as I know, it's not going to be easy," said Banerjee.

Banerjee recently showed interest in setting up a railway coach factory in collaboration with the state government or on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model on the abandoned site. (ANI)