Chandigarh: Former minister of state for railways and BJP functionary Ravneet Singh Bittu on Sunday accused Punjab bureaucracy of delaying railway projects in the state by failing to complete land acquisition and provide requisite permissions, warning that officials responsible for the delays would be held accountable.Addressing a news conference at the BJP headquarters, Bittu said the Centre had sanctioned funds for various railway projects, but the state administration was yet to complete its responsibilities.In an apparent reference to the 2027 Punjab elections, he warned the officials that the situation would have consequences.“Inquiries will open after six months,” Bittu said, adding that deputy commissioners responsible for delays in execution would be asked to explain their conduct.Bittu’s remarks came while he welcomed Railway Board’s sanction of the Detailed Estimate of ₹1,419.05 crore for the 39.68-km Qadian-Beas new broad-gauge railway line. He said the project, which had remained pending for decades, represented a major development for the Majha region. He alleged that ₹3,725 crore was already lying with respective deputy commissioners for land acquisition, and questioned why work was being delayed despite the availability of funds.“The money is already available. Up to ₹3,725 crore is lying with the respective deputy commissioners for land acquisition. When the funds are available and the land has already been demarcated, what is stopping the Punjab Government from completing the acquisition process?” he asked.Bittu said Centre and Railways had completed their responsibilities, and that the state govt should now ensure speedy execution. He also issued a warning to the chief secretary, deputy commissioners and SDMs concerned.“The officers responsible for land acquisition must now act, not merely hold meetings and move files,” he said.Bittu also alleged that Punjab govt had failed to respond to his July 23 letter to chief minister Bhagwant Mann, in which he had sought expediting of pending railway projects and state-level formalities.“I have written to chief minister Bhagwant Mann several times on this issue. My last letter was written on July 23, specifically urging the state govt to take immediate steps on land acquisition and related formalities. There has been no response so far,” Bittu said.The Qadian-Beas line will connect Qadian in Gurdaspur district with Beas in Amritsar district through a 39.68-km corridor, passing through areas including Ghuman, Butala and Sathiala.Bittu said the project would improve connectivity for residents, farmers, traders, students and pilgrims and strengthen economic linkages across the Majha region.He said the line would also have strategic importance by providing an alternative rail corridor to the Amritsar-Pathankot section during emergencies.On the issue of parole for former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh assassination convict Jagtar Singh Hawara, Bittu said the matter arose from a Punjab and Haryana high court direction to decide the plea within four weeks. He said Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria had sought the family’s views as Beant Singh was his grandfather and that the family supported parole on humanitarian grounds so Hawara could meet his ailing mother.On the Congress, Bittu backed Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa in his ongoing disagreement with Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring over the “one ticket per family” formula.Bittu said Randhawa had made the right point, referring to the Gandhi family having three MPs — Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Lok Sabha and Sonia Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha.
