Dharamsala, July 8
Election promises made by BJP MPs have not found any mention in the first Rail Budget of the NDA government.

BJP MP from Kangra and former CM Shanta Kumar had announced that the government would take up the project of the Manali-Leh railway line. He had maintained that the railway line was important from the defence point of view. The project of the Manali-Leh railway line includes construction of broad-gauge railway line from Pathankot to Manali and Manali to Leh.

The project was mooted during the UPA government and then Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had also written to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the project.

Shanta Kumar had also promised that the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow-gauge railway line would be broad gauge.

However, the laying of the Manali-Leh railway line has not found any mention in the first budget of the NDA government. In fact, Kangra district has not got any direct benefit.

The Hamirpur MP had also promised various projects during elections. One of his major announcements was the construction of the broad-gauge railway line from Kiratpur to Bilaspur that could have decongested the Kiratpur-Manali road.

Anurag has, however, maintained that his two proposals have been accepted. He claimed that the minister had announced 16 surveys for new railway lines. Out of these, two surveys would be conducted in Himachal. These included Una-Hamirpur and Hoshiarpur-Amb-Indora railway lines. It was for the first time that the survey for two new railway lines had been in Himachal, he claimed.

However, new surveys might take too long. The work on the Nangal-Una-Talwara rail link that was the first broad-gauge railway line of Himachal was progressing at a tardy pace.

Many major demands of the people of lower Himachal have been ignored. Starting a Una-Haridwar direct train is a long-pending demand. People from lower Himachal go to Haridwar for the last rites of their loved ones. However, there was no direct train to Haridwar from Una.

There was also a demand for connecting the Tahliwal industrial area with commercial railway services. It wouldn’t have incurred much cost as the railway line was passing just about 10 km from Tahliwal.

People of Kangra were also demanding the broad-gauge line that come to Amb to be connected with the Pathankot-Jogindernagar railway line at Jwalamukhi.

Shimla, July 8
Despite the state Cabinet regularising violations in the construction of the Jakhu aerial ropeway by imposing a penalty of Rs 60.68 lakh, the promoters have yet again sought permission to convert a non-habitable floor for use as gondola passenger waiting, raising the total number habitable floors to five.

With the fresh plea of promoters—Jagson International Ltd—the project is likely to be delayed further as the permission to convert a non-habitable floor into a habitable one can only be given by the state Cabinet.

Interestingly, the plea has come at a stage when the government had regularised all previous violations in April, 2013, by imposing a penalty so that the jinxed project could finally take off.

The promoters have sought permission from the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) to allow them to use another floor, out of the 13, for gondola waiting, even though there was a provision for waiting rooms in lower floors.

Amarjeet, MC Commissioner, confirmed: “We have sent the proposal of promoters allowing the use of an additional floor as gondola passenger waiting to the secretary, Town and Country Planning, which will finally require a Cabinet nod.”

The promoters already have the permission to use five floors as habitable, while the remaining eight were to be left as open unused spaces.

“It is strange that when all hitches have been cleared to pave the way for the launch of the project, the promoters are now demanding an additional floor to use it as a waiting area for people on the pretext that there is some confusion with regard to the basement,” an official said.

The project constructed in the heart of the town, to connect the Richmond area with the Jakhu temple, has been in the eye of a storm from day one, as it was allowed to come up in a no-construction green area, leading to the felling of trees.

Later, the promoters raised two additional floors without any permission as their map had been approved for only 11 floors.

“There seems to be no end to the demands of promoters who should have made such provisions in its initial plan as it was obvious that they will require the waiting area so why ask for more habitable area now at the final stage?,” quipped an official.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in the last Cabinet had desired that the Jakhu aerial ropeway be made operational as the project had been delayed for very long.

It was then that the issue of the new demand by the promoters came to light. Now, it remains to be seen whether the state government will once again accommodate the promoters of the Jakhu aerial ropeway or turn down their plea. 

Una, July 8
The Mehatpur-Una Expressway may finally see the light of day, as the state government has cancelled the contract of Chinese company Longjian for the construction of bridges on the road. Instead, the work has now been allotted to an Indian company—SP Singla enterprises.

Officials at the Public Works Department said: “The work will start soon. Earlier it was to be completed at Rs 47 crore, but due to the delay the work on the bridges will now be completed at Rs 62 crore.”

Abhishek Jain, Deputy Commissioner, Una, confirmed that the work for the construction of bridges had been allotted to an Indian company.

“The move is aimed at expediting the long-pending work of the Mehatpur-Amb express highway. Mukesh Agnihotri, the Minister for Industries, has taken a keen interest in expediting the work on the express highway,” he said.

The Chinese company was initially awarded the contract worth Rs 121 crore for the construction of about 50-km Mehatpur-Amb Express highway. The project that was financed by the World Bank was to be completed in 2010. However, due to various reasons such as the cancellation of Chinese workers’ visas for six months by the Union HRD ministry, rising costs and fines imposed by the government on Chinese company, delayed the project inordinately.

The Chinese company, allegedly under the influence of the previous BJP government, had outsourced the work of construction of over 30 big and small bridges worth Rs 47 crore on the road to an Indian company. However, the Indian company that was subleased the work left it in between. It completed the construction of just one bridge which was rejected by the project consultants.

The Chinese company Longjian after lobbying and legal recourse got the work of construction of the remaining Mehatpur-Amb expressway. However, the government did not allow the company to carry out construction which was earlier outsourced by Chinese company to an Indian company.

Recently the Chinese company expedited the construction work on the Mehatpur-Amb road. Much to the relief of local people, most of the roads have now been metalled. However, the incomplete bridges on the road still create traffic bottlenecks on the expressway.

Mandi, July 8
Though several corrective measures were suggested at different levels after the Beas tragedy in which 24 students and a tour co-coordinator from Hyderabad were washed away, the state government is yet to take certain corrective measures.

The state government had ordered an inquiry into the mishap and the report has been submitted to the government and the state High Court.

Divisional Commissioner, Mandi, Onkar Sharma, has suggested certain corrective measures to check the repeat of such mishaps.

The inquiry report has suggested that there should be the standard operating procedure and protocol for release of water from dams and barrages, besides fixing accountability, barrages and dams should be manned by senior officers. It has also suggested that fencing should be raised on both sides of major rivers, action against illegal mining, sirens, signboards, moving vehicles and deployment of staff at places near dams and barrages to warn people before releasing water and issuing advisory to tourists telling them about dangerous points.

The signboards and fencing along the river have already been installed at many places. The state electricity board has also installed three high velocity sirens near the Larji dam and a moving vehicle to warn people has also been deployed.

The state government will submit a status report in the High Court in this matter tomorrow.

The state government has already given a clean chit to State Load Dispatch Centre on whose advice the Larji project authorities had reduced power generation leading to release of water from the barrage.

Twentyone bodies of victims have been recovered so far and the administration is still continuing the search operation to locate three students - Kalluri Shree Harsha, Dasari Shirinidhi and Kasarala Rishita Reddy and tour co-coordinator Prahalad.

Investigation in the FIR against three officials of the Larji dam is also in the final stage and challan is likely is to be filed soon in the court.

SP, Mandi, Mohit Chawla said, “Investigation in the case registered against Larji officials is complete and documentation of record is going on and we will file the challan in the court soon.” 

Shimla, July 8
The CPM today termed the first Rail Budget of the NDA government as a cosmetic exercise, high on rhetoric and low in substance and stated that it had belied the expectations of the people of the state which was in dire need for rail infrastructure expansion.

The emphasis had been on bullet trains and commercial freight corridors with no budgetary calculations to back up. The entire emphasis was on to attract the FDI and undertake expansion and modernisation through the public-private partnership route.

Several successive rail budgets had just mentioned about the surveys being done to build a railway line in various corners of the state, but nothing concrete had been done. The much-desired Bhanupali-Bilaspur rail line had not moved an inch from the files and the connection to Talwara was still hanging fire. The rail track had not moved an inch ahead of the old destinations of Shimla and Jogendernagar, CPM members said.

Further, the industrial zones of the state linking Yamunanagar to Paonta, Kalka to Baddi-Barotiwala and Nalagarh were not even in the discussion. The state had a tremendous potential for rail growth due to its heavy tourist inflow, said CPM state secretariat member Tikender Singh Panwar.

Una, July 8
People were upset as no major steps were taken for the extension of the existing rail network in the district. The only silver lining in Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda’s budget speech for Himachal Pradesh was the announcement of the survey work for two new lines, one from Una to Hamirpur and the other from Amb-Andaura station in Una to Hoshiarpur in Punjab.

The people were expecting the extension of two Ambala-Nangal passenger trains and the Saharanpur-Nangal passenger train from Nangal to Una or Amb-Andaura. The people had been demanding a one-time budgetary provision to complete the Nangal-Talwara section, work on which has been progressing at a snail’s pace for the last five decades.

While the budget speech mentions identification of special pilgrim circuits where new lines can be laid or new packaged trains can be introduced, the hill state does not figure anywhere despite the fact that five of the total 52 Shaktipeeths, including Chintpurni Mata, Jwalaji, Chamunda Devi, Naina Devi and Bajjresheshwari Devi are in Himachal Pradesh.

Various sections of society, including the Congress leadership, have expressed despair on the budget. District Congress president Varinder Dharmani said the two surveys for the Una to Hamirpur and Amb-Andaura to Hoshiarpur lines was just a lollypop.

Rajiv Bhanot, spokesman of the Una Janhit Morcha, said for the last many decades, the political leadership had been ineffective in taking up and addressing the issues of the region.

Shimla, July 8
Terming the Rail Budget disappointing for Himachal, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said it neither contained the proposal of extension of rail lines, nor the conversion of the existing rail tracks into broad gauge.

The NDA had given Himachal nothing but assurances, he said, adding that, “I had pursued for extension of Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Beri rail line via Manali till Leh, which is important from the strategic point of view and also the Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Beri line till Pathankot passing through the lower belts of the state and providing connectivity to the people of the lower hills but nothing has been done in this regard.”

The Chief Minister further said a rail link was also proposed for the industrial belt of Baddi-Barotiwala from Pinjore on the Chandigarh-Shimla rail line, but nothing were given to the Himachal.

New Delhi, July 8
BJP MP Anurag Thakur hailed the Union Railway Budget and praised Rail Minister Sadananda Gowda for announcing two rail line surveys to be conducted in his Hamirpur constituency.

The two rail line surveys to be conducted this year are Hoshiarpur-Amb-Andaura and Una-Hamirpur.

“I am happy that out of the 18 new rail line surveys, two will be in Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency of Himachal Pradesh”, Anurag said.

He further said: “I had promised during the election campaign to connect my constituency by a rail network. I had met the Rail Minister as a result this was announced during the first Rail Budget of the Modi government.”

He praised the budget saying it was forward looking that focused on better passenger facilities, modernisation and innovation for growth of the rail network.

According to him, the “path-breaking” Rail Budget would be the driving force for various sectors of the economy. The Private-Public Partnership (PPP) model would enhance growth and act as a catalyst for bringing in new technology and innovation in the rail sector.

Shimla: Welcoming the Rail Budget, former Chief Minister and BJP leader PK Dhumal today termed the budget futuristic and said it was for the first time that the budget was not confined to any particular constituency or state.

The needs of all states had been kept in mind in the Rail Budget, presented by Rail Minister Sadanand Gawda, in which an attempt had been made to increase the pace of development. In the absence of finances, foreign direct investment, the public-private partnership mode and outsourcing of services would go a long way in development of the Railways, he added.

Dhumal also hailed the announcement to run high-speed trains, premium trains, a bullet train and general trains and said out of the 21,000 recruitments, 4,000 women constables would be recruited to infuse a sense of security among women.

Moreover, a survey for 18 rail lines, including two from Himachal, Una-Hamirpur and Amb-Hoshiarpur, would be done, Dhumal said. 

Una, July 8
An open recruitment rally for eligible youth of the district will be held from July 25 to 28 at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.

This was stated by Col SB Mathur, Commanding Officer (CO) of the Army Recruitment Office at Hamirpur while interacting with mediapersons here.

Colonel Mathur said the recruitment would be done for the posts of general duty soldier, clerk soldier and technical store keeper.

He said candidates for General Duty Soldiers should be at least matriculate, between 17 and a half to 21 years, while those applying for the posts of clerk and storekeepers should be minimum Class XII pass and between 17 and a half to 23 years. 

Shimla, July 8
Ex-servicemen in the state are on the warpath against the state government these days. Reason: They feel the bureaucracy and successive governments have remained apathetic towards their re-employment in government jobs.

Besides, sainik guest houses were in a pathetic condition, they said, adding that there was no director at the Sainik Welfare Board and that they were being charged 3 per cent VAT in its canteens.

Brig Daleep S Chajta (retd) said: “The re-employment of ex-servicemen is as good as negligible and those who are re-employed have been hired on a contract basis.”

All talks on welfare of ex-servicemen remain on paper and announcements during the elections to woo the powerfully significant vote banks of over 1.30 lakh ex-servicemen and 1.20 lakh serving soldiers in the state, they rued.

“The sainik guest houses in Solan, Mandi and other districts are in a bad shape. There is no director of the Sainik Welfare Board at Hamirpur,” said Brig Khushal Thakur, convener of the state chapter of the Indian Ex-servicemen League.

The government apathy was understood as the present chairman of the Ex-servicemen Welfare Council had not convened the meeting to mitigate the problems and grievances of the ex-servicemen, war widows and martyrs so far, the ex-servicemen said.

“The ex-servicemen do not get a room in the Himachal Bhawan in Chandigarh and Delhi. Even if they manage to book it, they are shunted out in case some bureaucrat happens to visit,” they rued.

Himachal was the only state in the country charging 3 per cent VAT from ex-servicemen at Army canteens, they said.

Social Justice and Empowerment and Sainik Welfare Minister, Col Dhani Ram Shandil said: “We are on the job to appoint a regular director. We will have our own depot near Una which will take care of the VAT issue.”

He said they had sought a meeting with the Governor, who is the chairman of the board. “We are maintaining 15 per cent re-employment quota for ex-servicemen, but it is not sufficient. We have created eco-battalion to re-employ ex-servicemen as well,” he added.

“To maintain sainik guest houses, the government is floating dedicated funds so that they can be repaired and maintained,” he added. 

Shimla, July 8
Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Rajesh Dharmani and Nurpur MLA Ajay Mahajan have been appointed facilitators for nine Assembly segments each in Haryana by the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) as part of the preparations for the Assembly polls due in October this year.

Dharmani has been made facilitator for the Rohtak parliamentary segment while Mahajan has been entrusted responsibility for the Ambala Lok Sabha seat. The two have been asked to submit their report to the AICC about the 18 Assembly segments falling under these two segments by June 30.

The two will look into various party issues, including contenders for the Assembly tickets.

Chamba, July 8
The Himachal Pradesh Government has planned to carry out land settlement work with the help of satellite images. It will be for the first time that satellite images will be used for the purpose.

This was stated by Revenue and Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur while addressing mediapersons here today.

He said satellite images could accelerate the work of settlement with more accuracy and the state government had decided to allot three biswa land each to families in rural areas and two biswa land to families in urban areas.

He said the directives had already been issued to the Revenue Department.

“There is a shortage of 555 patwaris in the state and to fill the vacant posts, the state government is imparting training to 778 candidates, so that each patwar circle can have a regular patwari,” he added.

He said the state government was contemplating to re-employ retired kanungos and patwaris at a remuneration of Rs 12,000 and Rs 10,000 per month.

Nurpur, July 8
The Panchayati Raj Department suspended Pratap Shukla, pradhan of the Sadwan gram panchayat, under the Nurpur development block on Monday.

Shukla was suspended for committing irregularities in the utilisation of development funds.

The District Panchayat Officer (DPO ), Kangra, conducted an inquiry into the alleged misuse of government funds in undertaking the development works.

The allegations against Shukla were found to be true and the DPO ordered his suspension with immediate effect. The DPO, while using his official powers under Section 145 (1) of the HP Panchayati Raj Act,1994, and Section 142 (1) of the HP Panchayati Raj (General) Rule, 1997, ordered the suspension of Shukla.

Shukla was earlier issued a show-cause notice for 15 days in this connection on February 20, but his reply was unsatisfactory. Later, he appeared personally before the DPO, but failed to clear the allegations against him. Rajinder Dhiman, DPO, Kangra, said he had received a written complaint from a zila parishad member and Ashok Kumar, a resident of the Sadwan gram panchayat, against Shukla.

“After a thorough inquiry, we found him guilty of committing irregularities in carrying out development works in the panchayat,” said Dhiman.

On the other hand, Pratap Shukla has termed it a political conspiracy against him and said he would file a writ petition against the order. 

Kangra, July 8
Former Congress MP Chander Kumar criticised the NDA government for discriminating against Himachal while presentingthe Rail Budget today despite the assurance by Narendra Modi during the poll campaign that narrow -auge railway lines would be made broad gauge.

Chander Kumar said he was disappointed because despite the BJP’s four MPs in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha, the interests of the state were not at all protected.

He said Himachal did not figure anywhere in the budget thus dashed the hopes of the people.

He said Modi backed out from his promise after he assumed power and not even a single railway project was cleared for HP by his government.

Solan, July 8
With the budget failing to announce the much-needed Baddi-Surajpur-Haripur Sandholi rail line, industry representatives of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) are a disappointed lot.

The fact that even a survey of this 28-km rail line had been completed and the state government had also signed an MoU with the Union Government, the investors were hopeful that this rail line would find a mention in the budget.

Reacting to the budget, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said despite tall claims of the four BJP MPs, the budget had failed to give anything to Himachal and added that even the much-needed industrial areas had been deprived of rail connectivity.

This has again jolted the Container Corporation of India’s ambitious plans to convert the container freight station at Baddi into a container depot which could fetch a revenue worth crores and facilitate the investors. The authorities have to make arrangements to trans-ship industrial goods via trucks to Ambala from Baddi in the absence of a rail line here.

YS Guleria, vice-president of the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Industries Association, said the rail connectivity was the needed to ensure speedier and economical transportation of goods and it would have also benefited the people. He added that since revenue worth crores would have been generated on this route, it was unjust to deprive the industry of this much-needed facility after conducting scores of surveys for the past 10 years. 

Chamba, July 8
Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur laid the foundation stone of a Community Health Centre (CHC) at Sahoo in Chamba district today. He said the appointment of 350 vacant posts of nurse in various health institutions in the state would be done soon.

He said the health centre would be constructed at a cost of Rs 4.15 crore. The centre would also have 30-bed capacity, X-ray and other test facilities. He also inaugurated a newly-constructed Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Jadera village. Dalhousie MLA Asha Kumari was also present during the inauguration function. — OC