Panel for rail freight route till Kolkata

The Standing Committee on Railways has expressed its dissatisfaction on the way the railway ministry has left out Kolkata from the Rs 22,000-crore dedicated freight corridor project.

According to the Chairman of the committee, Basudeb Acharya, the committee members told ministry officials during a recent meeting that they wanted the freight corridor extended to Kolkata.

"We have made many recommendations, one of which is on bringing the freight corridor to Kolkota. We expect to find a reflection of some of our suggestions in the minister's supplementary Budget speech in August."

Although the eastern corridor was initially supposed to touch Kolkota, the railway ministry later cut short the route, taking the line only till Sonnagar in Bihar.

"The Railways says that the main freight from the eastern corridor is coal. They argue that Sonnagar is a good catchment area as it is close to the central and northern coalfields. But our contention is that there is abundant and better quality coal available in Bharat Coking Coal Ltd and Eastern Coalfields Ltd which are closer to Kolkota," said Acharya.

He also said the existing Delhi -Kolkota line was choked and needed relief in the form of a dedicated freight corridor.