On October 15, the minister is scheduled to lay the foundation stone a new electric locomotive factory at Madhepura at a cost of Rs 1,294 crore. This, according to sources, is Lalu's way of compensating Madhepura, the constituency he relinquished in favour of Chhapra after the last elections.
Even as the Railway Ministry is in the process of roping in private players to set up both these manufacturing units, the minister, it is learnt, was keen to do the honours as quickly as possible.
The two new lines between Bariarpur-Mananpur (via Kharagpur-Lachimpur-Barahat) and Sultanganj and Katuria (via Asarganj, Tarapur and Belhar) were accorded approval by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on August 16 and would cost Rs 251 crore and Rs 289 crore, respectively.
Further, the minister would lay stones for a couple of extension works at Jamalpur workshop, two new manned level crossing at Kharia Pipra Halt (between Ganganiyan and Kalyanpur road railway station) and between Akbarnagar and Maheshi railway stations, a wagon rehabilitation workshop at Barauni and would inaugurate a platform capable of handling a 24coach train at Sultanganj.
Sources close to the minister said that Lalu also plans to spend a major portion of the forthcoming navratras in Bihar. "He would keep coming to Delhi in between, as and when needed," said a source.
Source: The Indian Express, 10th Oct,2007
