CHANDIGARH: Pending projects like railway bypass and rail coach factory in Jhajjar may get a fresh lease of life as union railway minister Suresh Prabhu on Saturday issued directives related to beginning of these projects.

Accompanied by union rural development minister Birender Singh and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar , the railway minister stated that after inaugurating Rs 294-crore project of electrification of the Rohtak-Bhatinda-Lehra Mohabbat rail line in Rohtak.

"The pace of railway projects in Haryana, including the setting up of the proposed rail coach factory, is to be further accelerated as soon an agreement between the railway ministry and Haryana government is signed to set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV)," Prabhu said.

On the issue of setting up of a rail coach factory raised by Haryana CM Khattar, the Union Minister said the plant would be set up on public private partnership (PPP) mode.

The projects in Haryana had been announced by the then railways minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in 2012 in the rail budget. But with the change of guard in the Centre and state, there were question marks over the projects.

Prabhu gave directions to the officials over the demand raised by the Haryana CM to either make an underground passage for the railway line track passing through Rohtak or make passage over the bridge on the pattern of Delhi metro through pillars.

He also assured about the modernization of Rohtak railway station and to start a train between Bhiwani and Haridwar. He said railway station in Gurgaon was also being modernized by involving business houses through corporate social responsibility (CSR). For the smooth work flow on the railway projects in Haryana, every month discussions would be held between senior officials of the railway and the state government.

CM Khattar also demanded completion of work on Karnal-Yamunanagar, Fatehabad-Mansa, Firozpur Jhirka-Alwar, Hisar-Sirsa via Agroha and Jind-Sonipat railway lines. He also spoke about making secure the 119 unmanned railway crossings in Haryana.

