Shivhar-Sitamarhi Railway Project Stalls: MP Lovely Anand Raises Land Acquisition Hurdles in Lok Sabha
_159488133.jpg)
The ambitious Sheohar-Sitamarhi railway project in Bihar is facing significant delays on the ground, hampered primarily by slow land acquisition processes and compensation hurdles. Out of the 160 acres mandated for the project, only 98 acres have been successfully acquired so far, leaving construction timelines hanging in the balance.
Bridge Construction and Flood Disruptions
Approved under a special 28-kilometer rail initiative with an allocation of ₹657 crore, the project includes plans for 13 major bridges, 62 culverts, and six road overbridges.
Initial construction work on a 610-meter-long, 12-span bridge over the Bagmati River at Dubbaghat—undertaken by Guwahati-based agency Durga Krishna Stores—was recently forced to halt due to rising floodwaters. The slow physical progress prompted Shivhar MP Lovely Anand to formally raise the issue during the Lok Sabha session, seeking intervention to expedite development.
Compensation and Land Acquisition Bottlenecks
Responding to inquiries in Parliament, the Railway Minister detailed the ongoing land acquisition status. However, startling figures emerged from a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by social activist Mukund Prakash Mishra, revealing that payments remain pending for hundreds of settlements.
Disbursement Status: While the district administration has distributed over ₹99.14 crore to 338 landowners across specific Khasras, hundreds of other tenants await their compensation.
Legal and Family Disputes: Issues such as title suits, partition disputes, and stay orders on specific land parcels (such as Khasra No. 122) have further complicated payouts. Additionally, some local farmers have raised objections regarding land categorization, refusing compensation until classifications are reviewed by railway authorities.
A Long-Delayed Vision
Originally conceived back in 2007, the Motihari-Sheohar-Sitamarhi rail link remained stalled at the survey stage for years before a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Patna High Court catalyzed renewed action. Although authorities previously indicated a target completion window extending to January 2027, the current lag in land acquisition and payment clearances suggests that meeting these deadlines will require aggressive administrative intervention.
_182866157_351x234.jpg)
_620232287_351x234.jpg)
_159488133_351x234.jpg)
_1382946731_351x234.jpg)
