Railways Ministry eyeing over Rs 98,499 crore rail reboot in West Bengal with improved land acquisition

Experts believe, with a new administration now in Kolkata, that era of bureaucratic friction is expected to end. The Ministry of Railways is aggressively expediting land procurement, aiming to revive stalled projects worth over Rs 98,499 crore that have been trapped in limbo for over a decade.

3,300-Hectare Gap: Why key railway projects in Bengal are currently at a standstill

The scale of the challenges facing the Indian Railways in West Bengal is massive. According to recent ministry data, the total land requirement for various approved railway projects across the state stands at 4,662 hectares. To date, only 1,273 hectares- a mere 27 per cent- has been acquired. This persistent land deficit has left the state’s rail network lagging, with at least 12 major projects currently suffering from significant delays.

“At least 12 major projects have been delayed in the state because of land acquisition,” a senior official from the Railway Ministry stated on Tuesday (May 5). “This includes the Sivok-Rangpo new line, which is of national importance, connecting Sikkim with the rail network for the first time. The ministry will soon be writing to the new state government to expedite the process.” This project, in particular, is seen as a strategic imperative for connecting the northeastern region to the rest of India, making it a top priority for the central government.

According to the Railway Ministry, the delayed projects in West Bengal include:

• Nabadwip Ghat–Nabadwip Dham new line, where ministry needs 107-hectare land
• 168-hectare land is needed for Kaliyaganj–Buniadpur new line
• 18-hectare for Canning–Bagankhali new line
• Rukni–Anara rail flyover (35 hectares)
• Gourinath Dham–Purulia rail flyover (34 hectares)
• Kalipahari–Bakhtar Nagar fifth line (14 hectares)
• Naihati–Ranaghat third line (13 hectares)

A look at urban challenges and metro expansion

The state’s capital is currently seeing four separate metro corridors under construction, covering over 52 kilometres of track. However, progress on a 20 kilometre stretch of this network has been brought to a standstill due to persistent issues regarding land acquisition and the complex shifting of public utilities.

This urban congestion has long been a source of public frustration with commuters waiting for a more reliable and high-capacity transit system. The railway official noted that the ministry is keen to resolve these utility-shifting issues as a matter of urgency, viewing the metro projects as vital to the economic modernisation of West Bengal’s urban centers. By streamlining the coordination between the state’s civil authorities and central project managers, the Railway Ministry hopes to regain lost time and accelerate completion.

Resurrecting Railway’s frozen projects in Bengal

Beyond the immediate stalled projects, the Railway Board is also turning its attention to 17 initiatives that were previously frozen due to concerns over low traffic volume. Following a surge in public demand and a strategic review, these projects were officially resumed in January.

The list is extensive, covering critical connections such as-

• 65-km Bankura–Hura–Purulia new line
• 43-km Raiganj–Dalkhola line
• 34-km Prantik–Siuri link
• 26-km-long Kanthi–Egra new line
• Nandakumar–Balaipanda new line (28 km)
• Bowaichandi–Arambagh new line (31 km)
• Itahar–Buniadpur new line (27 km)
• Gazole–Itahar new line (27 km)
• Bowaichandi-Khana new line (24 km)

Other projects, including the 31-km Bowaichandi–Arambagh line and the 28-km Nandakumar–Balaipanda corridor, are now being fast-tracked through the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage. By integrating these routes into the broader national grid, the ministry aims to catalyse regional development in areas that have historically been underserved by the rail network. The official indicated that these lines are expected to serve as new economic arteries, opening up interior districts to better logistics and trade opportunities.

Doubling and third-line projects – What’s in the pipeline?

While new lines dominate the headline discussions, the Railway Ministry is also concurrently executing 21 major projects that are part of the nation’s core logistical backbone. These include high-impact doubling and third-line projects designed to decongest existing heavy-traffic routes.

These include the following:

• 303-km Son Nagar–Andal Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC)
• 153-km Narayangarh–Bhadrak third line
• 132-km Kharagpur–Adityapur third line
• 177-km Bhagalpur–Dumka–Rampurhat doubling
• 121-km Chandil–Damodar third line
• 111-km Santragachi–Kharagpur fourth line

These infrastructure projects, along with the 111-km Santragachi–Kharagpur fourth line, are crucial for the movement of freight and passenger traffic. The sheer breadth of the ongoing work—covering nearly every corner of the state—underscores the massive scale of the effort.

With 25 additional major projects currently in the survey phase, some critical initiatives include:

• New Jalpaiguri–Kamakhya third and fourth railway lines
• 546-km Katihar–Kumedpur–Aluabari Road
• 399-km Jharsuguda–Bagdihi–Kharagpur 5th and 6th railway Line
• 154-km Sitarampur–Jhajha fourth railway line
• 199-km Sitarampur–Kiul third railway line

The history of railway development in West Bengal has been defined by a tense tug-of-war. The previous state governments often accused the Centre of neglecting the state’s development needs, while the Railway Ministry countered that the state’s inability to facilitate land acquisition was the primary roadblock.

As the ministry initiates formal correspondence with the new government to fast-track land acquisition, stakeholders in the infrastructure sector remain cautiously optimistic. The goal is clear, which is transforming West Bengal into a seamless logistical hub. With over Rs 98,499 crore already earmarked and a renewed political appetite for execution, the state is poised for a decade of unprecedented railway modernisation that could permanently alter its economic geography.