West Bengal Constitutes Task Force To Expedite Pending Railway Infrastructure Projects
State and Railways join hands to accelerate projects.
The West Bengal government has constituted a special task force to accelerate the implementation of pending railway infrastructure projects across the state, marking a significant step toward strengthening coordination between the state administration and the Indian Railways. The decision was announced following recent discussions between Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The initiative is aimed at ensuring faster execution of major railway projects and improving connectivity across all districts of West Bengal.
According to officials at the state secretariat, Nabanna, the 20-member task force will be headed by Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal. The panel includes senior representatives from key state government departments such as Home, Transport, Land and Revenue. The task force has been designed as a joint platform to address administrative hurdles, land-related issues and coordination challenges that often delay large-scale infrastructure projects.
Representatives from major railway organisations, including Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway, Northeast Frontier Railway, Metro Railway and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), will also be part of the task force. The inclusion of officials from both the state government and railway authorities is expected to facilitate quicker decision-making and improve project monitoring. Officials believe the mechanism will help resolve bottlenecks and ensure timely completion of critical railway works.
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The formation of the task force follows Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s visit to Kolkata last week, during which he held discussions with the Chief Minister regarding future railway development plans. Following the meeting, Adhikari stated that railway infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 1 lakh crore are expected to be implemented in the state in the coming years. He said the objective is to ensure that every district in West Bengal is adequately connected through an expanded and modernised railway network.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister criticised the previous Trinamool Congress-led administration, alleging that strained relations with the Union government had delayed the implementation of several railway projects. He stressed that the current state government would work closely with the Railways Ministry to ensure faster execution of infrastructure initiatives. State officials described the creation of the task force as an early demonstration of the government’s commitment to improving coordination and accelerating development.
The railway expansion plans announced during the visit also include proposals for a high-speed bullet train corridor linking New Delhi and Siliguri through major cities such as Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna. The Railway Minister stated that the journey could be completed in approximately six hours. In addition, Indian Railways plans to introduce 60 new train services in West Bengal over the next five years, further enhancing transportation capacity and regional connectivity across the state.
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