Gurdaspur, February 24
Gurdaspur MP had his way today when Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today agreed to his proposal of laying down the 40-km-long rail line from Qadian to Beas.

A visibly elated Bajwa said over phone that the project had been cleared under the Socially Desirable Rail Connectivity Proposals. “A majority of the projects cleared by the Railway Ministry fall under the Economically Viable Proposals.

However, keeping in view social factors of the region, the ministry has cleared this project,” Bajwa claimed, adding: “Some areas have absolutely no economic viability but it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that people get proper transport and rail facilities. That is the reason why the government has cleared the Qadian-Beas rail project.”

Bajwa also thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee for the project approval.

The proposal will now have to be cleared by the Planning Commission before work starts on the project, Bajwa stated.