In the wake of recent Maoist threats, the contractors of Dalli Rajhara rail links connecting to Rowghat mines in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh are threatening to pull out from the construction work.
The laying of rail track has been divided in two phases. The 42 km-first stretch is from Dalli Rajhara to Keoti and the contract was awarded to a private contractor in November 2009 for `92 crore. But the contractor withdrew his equipment from the site and raised a claim of `37 crore from the Railways. Owing to Naxal menace in the designated area, other contractors are also reluctant to resume the work.
“The track has to be laid from the existing captive mine at Dalli Rajhara to Rowghat in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. It lies in thick forest, which is badly affected by Naxal presence. More than a year ago, the earth moving equipment and machinery were set ablaze at Keoti by the Maoists and there have been constant threat to men and machinery,” Mittal said in his letter dated July 4, 2012.
The Railway Board chairman has requested the Home Secretary to take up the issue on a priority basis at this stage by providing required security in limited stretches. Mittal has also written a letter on July 7 to Chhattisgarh Home Secretary N K Aswal requesting state assistance to expedite the laying of rail tracks. Another obstacle, which stalled the project, was the red signal from the Ministry of Environment and Forest for cutting trees in the 20-km stretch to transport the heavy machinery. Sources said tree felling could not be done without paramilitary cover for the work forces.
The construction work also faced strong opposition from the affected families whose pockets of land were acquired for the proposed rail link.