Railway projects in Madhya Pradesh to get faster clearances under new system
From Chief Secretary to Collectors, Officers to Take Charge to Accelerate Railway Projects in Madhya Pradesh
4-Tier Coordination Committees Formed on Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s Directives
SARMAN NAGELE
Bhopal
In a major step to accelerate the expansion of rail infrastructure and eliminate administrative hurdles in construction works in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has initiated a significant measure. On the directives of the Chief Minister, the General Administration Department of the Government of Madhya Pradesh has recently issued an order for the formation of four-tier Railway Project Coordination Committees to ensure the swift and time-bound implementation of railway projects in the state.
The primary objective of this new administrative mechanism is to remove obstacles facing ambitious projects such as new railway lines, gauge conversions, multi-tracking, Railway Over Bridges (ROBs), and Railway Under Bridges (RUBs). Projects often face delays due to issues like land acquisition, Forest Department clearances, shifting of power and water lines, and rehabilitation. Through these committees, seamless coordination among all concerned departments will now be established to achieve time-bound resolutions for these challenges.
Four committees have been constituted – ranging from the district level to the highest administrative level in the state – for project review and administrative coordination.
District-Level Committee, This committee will be headed by the District Collector, with the Deputy Chief Engineer, Chief Project Manager of Railways serving as its coordinator. Members will include the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), executive engineers and officers from power distribution companies, PWD, PHE, Jal Nigam, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and relevant revenue officials. This committee will mandatorily meet once every month.
Divisional-Level Committee, Chaired by the Divisional Commissioner, this committee will have the Chief Engineer of the Zonal Railway as its coordinator. Members will include the ADRM, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), and Superintending Engineers from PWD, Power, PHE, and ASI. This committee will meet once every two months.
Principal Secretary-Level Committee, Chaired by the Principal Secretary of the Public Works Department (PWD), this committee will have the Chief Administrative Officer (Construction) of Railways as its coordinator. Members will include the concerned DRM, Additional PCCF (Forest Department), Secretary (Revenue), Managing Directors of power companies, and Chief Engineers of PWD and PHE. This committee will meet once every three months.
State-Level Committee, Formed at the apex administrative level of the state, this committee will be chaired by the Chief Secretary of the Government of Madhya Pradesh, with the General Manager of the Zonal Railway acting as its coordinator. Members will include the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), along with Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries from the Energy, PHE, PWD, and Revenue departments. This committee will meet once every six months or as required.
In accordance with Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav’s instructions, the state government has issued clear directives that inter-departmental matters related to land acquisition, forest clearances, utility shifting, rehabilitation, and law and order must be settled swiftly during these meetings. Strict orders have been given to all concerned departments and officers to attend meetings with full preparation as per the fixed schedule, ensuring accountability and preventing unnecessary delays.
The implementation of this multi-tiered coordination system will not only eliminate inter-departmental red tape but will also enable the expansion of the rail network in Madhya Pradesh with greater speed and transparency.
