Ex-Railways MoS demands to link Gujarat tribal belt with MP

VADODARA: Former Minister of State for Railways and MP Naranbhai Rathwa has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to link the tribal belt of Gujarat with tribal areas of neighbouring Madhya Pradesh through railway line.

Rathwa, who is also a noted tribal leader in the state, said work for two railway lines linking tribal belts of both the states was approved by former PM Manmohan Singh in 2008 but the project was shelved by railway authorities, citing that the Rate of Return (ROR) from the project was only 7 per cent, as against mandatory 14 per cent.

In the letter, the leader requested Modi to consider the plan and once again undertake the work, which included construction of two railway lines -- 200 kms Dahod-Indore via Jhabua and 152 kms Chhota Udepur-Dhar line.

The cost of the 200 kms and 165 kms railway line projects was estimated at Rs 1,200 crore and Rs 600 crore respectively.