Talking to media persons, Bhuria said that laying of the rail lines between Maxi-Godhra and Chota Udaipur-Dhar were the most ambitious projects of the tribal dominated Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. Both the projects which have been proposed to be completed within a period of eight years, will usher the region into a new era of development.

Maxi-Godhra rail project had been sanctioned by the then Prime Minister, late Rajiv Gandhi in 1989. Thereafter, this project had been included in the Union budget after getting approval from the Planning Commission. Under the first phase of rail project, 36 km of rail line had been laid between Dewas and Maxi and this section of the rail line was thrown open for rail traffic after completion of work on February 31, 2003.

Bhuria said that right from the beginning, he always endevoured for early completion of this project and from time to time, necessary funds were also allocated in the rail budget for this project. My persistent struggle paid off even before the Union rail budget of 2007-08 with the central government sanctioning a sum of Rs 1000 crore for laying Rs 272 km of rail line between Dahod and Indore and 157 km of rail line between Dhar-Chota Udaipur-Baroda at an estimated cost of Rs 620 crore. Out of the total sum required for this project, the union government has already sanctioned Rs 1248.56 crore to the department concerned for the commencement of work.

Bhuria informed that for the people of the tribal belt of Jhabua and surrounding regions, agriculture is the only medium of livelihood and region lagged behind on the industrial front because of lack of communication and transportation facilities but now the things will look up after laying of rail lines between Maxi-Godhra and Chota Udaipur-Dhar. Linking of the regions by the rail lines, will not only open new vistas of opportunities but also give fillip to the rapid industrialization, thereby opening new avenues of development as well as employment, he said adding that completion of both the rail projects, will directly benefit the people of Dhar, Jhabua, Barwani, Khargone districts of western Madhya Pradesh, Banswara district of Rajasthan as well as, Dahod, Panchmahal-Khera and Godhra districts of Gujarat.

Krishna K Jha