Our Bureau/

Backward and sleepy hinterlands of Maoists ravaged Jamui district in Bihar since after Independence for the first time has the opportunity to be connected in the mainstream when union railway minister, Piyush Goyal today put the foundation stone for the proposed railway networking from Jhajha (Jamui) to Giridhi (Jharkhand).  Goyal put the foundation stone for the first phase of the work, construction of  Jhajha-Sono lines in the stretch of 96 km long railway lines connecting Jhajha with neighbouring Giridhi.

Union railway minister, Piyush Goyal at the function at Sono.

At a colourful function today at Sono, Goyal was remained busy to count the achievements of Modi government before his audience while Chirag Paswan, MP from Jamui has termed the event as historical. Chirag said that Jamui which upgraded as a separate district from Munger some 25 year back, didn’t have any infrastructural facilities due to the indifferent attitude of previous government.

He said that the new railway networking in the remote parts of the district would prove to be blessing for the people of this region. The entire area is located inside picturesque valley surrounded with dense green forest covers. However, the area earned notoriety due to the Maoists. Earlier, the outfits in several times targeted railway and its employees on the main section from Jhajha to Ghorparan via Narganjo. The stretch of the  main section from Jhajha passes through the valley covered with dense forests.

The new line would connect Giridhi via Gramjura, Sono, Batiya, Bamdha, Chakai, Marhi, Golgo, Palganjo, Bengawad and New Giridhi. The estimated cost of the project is said to be Rs 2387 crore. But for the first phase, ie, construction of new tracks from Jhajha to Sono under this proposed stretch, would be completed with Rs 496 crore. The amount of Rs 496 crore has already been sanctioned, claimed the railway source.

“The proposed new railway link would certainly help to accelerate development in this region which under the grip of red extremism. People don’t have income generating opportunities and the new generation always remains misguided,” claimed Bijoy Prasad, a native of Sono. Like him many people in the locality said the new railway connectivity would solve many problems of local denizens, especially the problem and plights of poor people.

Union railway minister, Goyal today also repeated the commitments of the central government towards the residence of places like Jamui. Goyal said that Rs 90 crore has already sanctioned by the government for renovation of Jhajha railway station and renovation works already initiated at Jamui railway station. He said that within December 2019, 100 percent electrification of railway tracks would be completed in eastern zone of Indian railway.

Chirag Paswan, MP from Jamui was active for the new railway project at his constituency, with Piyush Goyal at Delhi.

“I have been told how Danapur division has converted the passenger trains  running in its jurisdiction into EMUs resting not only conservation of fuels but also encouraged other positive points,” he mentioned. Goyal also flagged off Patna-Bengaluru special train from the dais at Sono on video conferencing. He said a new train would start from Bhagalpur to Ranchi via Jhajha from today. Besides he allotted stoppage  of Howrah-Raxaul Express train at Jamui station, Raxual- Hydrabad train at Seikhpura station on Kiul-Gaya section and Dhanbad-Patna Intercity Express train at Simultala station on Patna-Asansol via Jhajha main section of Eastern railways from today.

However observers termed it as pre-poll bonanzas to woo rural voters in Jamui and its surroundings. “It’s an open allurement made by the local MP, Chirag. He was asking for the favour of mandate so that he could open more space for development. The entire event was just a type of bargaining with the voters. However, such projects would backward places like Jamui for development,” pointed out the observers.