Proyecto de paso elevado de 57,44 millones de rupias en Dumraon paralizado
Bihar: The proposed Rail Over Bridge (ROB) project at the Western Railway Gate, which is supposed to be a relief to the people who have been suffering from traffic jams for years in Dumraon of Buxar district, is once again stuck in administrative complications. The construction work of this ambitious project worth about Rs 57.44 crore has come to a complete halt for the last one month, which has dealt a blow to the hopes of the local people.
This project was started with the aim of streamlining the traffic system in Dumraon city, as the common people have been facing problems for a long time due to frequent jams at the railway gate. After the formation of ROB, a permanent solution to this problem was expected, but now due to differences between the Railways and the Forest Department regarding the No Objection Certificate (NOC) of the Forest Department, the work is not progressing.
According to railway officials, the start of the next phase of the project is stalled due to non-receipt of NOC from the forest department. Railway official Sujit Singh said that necessary permission is being awaited to complete the departmental process, but till now the approval has not been received from the Forest Department, due to which the construction work is hampered.
On the other hand, Bhojpur’s Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Praduman Gaurav has rejected the Railways’ claim and said that the Railways has sought permission to cut trees by adopting the wrong procedure. According to him, the land on which the trees are present comes under the jurisdiction of the Central Government, hence first the Railways will have to obtain land related permission from the Central Government. Only after this the Forest Department can consider permission for felling of trees.
Due to this administrative disagreement the work on the project has come to a complete halt. There has been no activity at the construction site for the last one month, which is not only affecting the timeline of the project but is also raising the possibility of cost overruns.
Local people say that the problem of jam at the railway gate in Dumraon has persisted for a long time. Long queues of vehicles form in the morning and evening, due to which patients, school children and common travelers have to face a lot of trouble. People were hoping that this problem would end after the construction of ROB, but now the disappointment has increased due to the project getting stuck.
Traders also say that due to jam, markets are affected and customers are not able to reach on time, due to which economic activities are affected. ROB was considered very important for the development of the area, but due to lack of coordination at the administrative level, this plan is not moving forward.
Experts believe that in such big projects, lack of coordination between various departments often leads to delays. Unless a clear process is decided between the land, environment and forest departments, it will be difficult to complete such plans on time.
There is said to be a need for intervention at a higher level to resolve the ongoing differences between the Railways and the Forest Department. If the situation regarding NOC and land permission is not clarified soon, the project may get stuck for more time.
The local administration has also admitted that the matter is one of technical and procedural differences, which should be resolved through dialogue between the concerned departments. Officials say that efforts are being made to remove all the obstacles and resume construction work soon.
Overall, this important ROB project of Dumraon is currently stalled due to departmental tussle and permission process. The ongoing dispute regarding NOC between Railways and Forest Department has dashed the hopes of the local people, while the problem of traffic jam remains the same.