Maharashtra, Karnataka urged to give land, bear half cost of Nanded-Bidar line: Minister

Maharashtra and Karnataka have been requested to provide free land and bear half the cost of the 155-km Nanded-Bidar project because of the low traffic projections on the line, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has informed the Lok Sabha.

BJP MP Pratap Govindrao Chikhalikar Patil had asked the Minister to state the reasons for delay in the laying of the Nanded–Bidar new railway line and the expenditure likely to be incurred on its laying.

Vaishnaw in a written reply on Wednesday said ”As the project is having low traffic projections, the government of Maharashtra and Karnataka have been requested to provide land free of cost and to share 50 per cent cost of construction of the project falling in respective states. However, their consent is awaited.” He said that the line was included in Budget 2018-19 subject to requisite approvals.