Chennai, Feb 10 Vanathi Srinivasan, BJP Mahila Morcha president and Coimbatore South MLA, on Tuesday accused the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of stalling crucial railway infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu by failing to complete land acquisition on time, asserting that development should not be held hostage to administrative delays at the state level.
Hitting back at recent remarks by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, who alleged that the Centre had denied Tamil Nadu its due share of railway projects in the Union Budget, Srinivasan said the State government was attempting to shift blame while its own inaction had slowed implementation on the ground.
In a social media post, Srinivasan highlighted that the Central government had allocated Rs 7,611 crore for railway projects in Tamil Nadu since 2014.
However, progress remained sluggish because the required land had not been handed over to the railway authorities. She noted that of the 4,326 hectares needed for ongoing projects, only 1,052 hectares - about 24 per cent - had been acquired so far.
“Development should not suffer due to state-level delays. People deserve faster delivery of schemes,” she said, stressing that infrastructure works were being delayed despite funds being readily available.
She further pointed out that the Centre had disbursed Rs 1,465 crore to the Tamil Nadu government specifically for land acquisition, making it clear that financial constraints were not the issue.
According to her, the primary obstacle was the State’s slow administrative process and lack of coordination. Srinivasan also said that railway allocations for Tamil Nadu had risen by 8.5 per cent compared to 2014, countering claims that the State was being neglected.
Referring to statements made by Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Railway Minister, she said the Centre had clarified that projects were ready for execution once the land was made available.
Emphasising the importance of railway connectivity for economic growth, employment, and regional development, Srinivasan urged the DMK government to expedite land acquisition and cooperate with the Centre.
“People expect faster implementation, not political blame games,” she said, adding that the timely completion of railway projects was essential for Tamil Nadu’s progress.
--IANS
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