Solan: The neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh may not appear much inclined to connect its industrial capital with Chandigarh, but the Union Cabinet finally cleared the laying of railway tracks between Chandigarh and Baddi. The work on this 33 kilometre railway track would be completed by the end of 2011-12 with an investment of Rs 326 crore.

Government sources revealed that conceding the long pending demand of the ruling Congress government of Himachal Pradesh, the Union Cabinet in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has finally cleared the project which will link the Industrial capital Baddi and Barotiwala with Chandigarh. HP Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh raised the issue of connecting Baddi with railway link for expansion of industrial activities in the region. The industrialists had also been demanding for the laying of railway line since long.

Though the union government had given approval in principal for laying of the 33-kms long railway track in the past but due to lack of budgetary provision, the project got delayed. The decision of the Union cabinet would encourage more industrial houses to set-up industries but also setting up an Inland Container Depot (ICD) in the industrial area. The opening of this depot would certainly give relief to the industries from the constant problem of shortage of trucks, AC containers and specially designed vehicles for transporting their finished goods and they will be able to save considerably on freight charges.

Container Corporation of India had earlier conducted a survey for setting up of Inland container Depot in the industrial area but the authorities later decided to set up a container freight station in place of container depot at Baddi. “The decision of the Union Cabinet would certainly prove a boon for the industrial development in Baddi-Barotiwala and Nalagarh,” said Organiser of Infrastructure Development Panel of CII’s Himachal unit and Chairman Infrastructure Development Committee of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industries Association Vijay Arora.
General Secretary of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industries Association Arun Rawat said “We would urge the government to complete the laying of rail track by the end of 2009 instead of 2011 as the industrial package limit would expire in 2010”. He said that besides boosting the industrial activities it would also provide relief to industrial visitors as well as labourers in the area.

Regional