Title - Talwandi Sabo rail link hangs fire The project, announced in Rly Budget last February, is in limbo s

Bathinda;
Along with the unceremonious exit of the Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, following charges of corruption, his gift to the region in the form of a railway link between Talwandi Sabo and Rama Mandi seems to have been put on the back-burner for at least some time now.Bansal had, in his maiden Union Railway Budget in February this year, announced to link Rama Mandi with Maur Mandi via Talwandi Sabo. The project, however, seems to have lost steam with the exit of the minister.Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, the Congress MLA from Talwandi Sabo, Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, said, “I recently met the former railway minister and discussed the plan with him. He explained to me about various budgetary allocations and that the proposal would take some time to take a concrete form.”Agreeing that had Bansal been there, “the project would have moved faster”, he added, “The project might have been delayed, but it’s not dead. I understand that the preliminary survey for the railway link has already been conducted.”Jeet Mohinder Sidhu said if need be, he would take up the matter with the present Union Railway Minister, Mallikarjun Kharge. “I would take along a few MPs from Punjab and request the Union Minister to expedite the work on the rail link.”The rail link is important as Takht Sri Damdama Sahib is the only Takht which is not connected by a rail link. “All the other Takhts - Sri Harmandar Sahib, Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Sri Hazur Sahib (Nanded) and Sri Patna Sahib have railway connectivity. A rail link to Talwandi Sabo is also crucial considering the upcoming thermal plant in the region,” the MLA added.Meanwhile, the residents of the region, who had pined high hopes on Pawan Kumar Bansal, the first Union Railway Minister from Punjab, are eagerly awaiting news regarding the rail link.Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, said, “The Ministry of Railways cannot run away from the proposal made by a former railway minister while presenting the budget. If no work on the project starts any time soon, we may constitute a committee and take up the issue with the Central Government or the Ministry of Railways.”

About the project

Pawan Kumar Bansal, in his maiden Union Railway Budget, had announced to link Rama Mandi with Maur Mandi via Talwandi Sabo.

The rail link is important as Takht Sri Damdama Sahib is the only Takht which is not connected by a rail link.

All the other Takhts — Sri Harmandar Sahib, Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Sri Hazur Sahib (Nanded) and Sri Patna Sahib have railway connectivity.

A rail link to Talwandi Sabo is also crucial considering the upcoming thermal plant in the region.