Title - Dungarpur-Ratlam: Waghad all set to get first rail line

Jaipur: The construction of much-awaited Dungarpur-Banswara-Ratlam rail line in the Waghad region is likely to start from January next year. The state government has recently constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Udaipur divisional commissioner to remove obstacles in acquisition of land for the project. Senior government officials informed that Rs 2082 crore is estimated to be spent on 186.80 km-long Dungarpur-Banswara-Ratlam rail line. Of this, Rs 1200 crore will be provided by the state government and rest by the Indian railways.   The state government will bear half of the amount to be incurred on the project. Besides this, the Rajasthan government will also bear the cost of land to be acquired in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Under the project, 19 stations will be constructed, while the total length of 17 tunnels will be 13.545 km. The North Western Railway had given the orders for final survey in January 2012 and fixed 12 months for carrying out the survey. Meanwhile, the state government after issuing notification for land acquisition has fixed December 2012 as the date for final determination of rail route map through satellite pictures. Officials informed that finalisation of required land for the project has been proposed up to August 2012. The first demand letter of land acquisition for 17-km line has been given to the district collector, Dungarpur, which is being examined and the process of issuing notification is underway. The engineering survey is proposed to be completed by mid September 2012. With completion of the rail line, the new vistas of development will be opened in the hilly region of Waghad.