Proposed railway station turns into cowshed, tipplers' den in Bengal's Nandigram

The promised railway station in Bengal’s Nandigram continues to be abandoned 13 years after it was announced by then railways minister Mamata Banerjee in 2010.

The Nandigram land movement in 2007 was the turning point for Banerjee as it catapulted her and her party to the power centre of Bengal. So, after assuming charge as the Union railways minister in the second UPA government, Banerjee, in her first railway budget in 2010, vowed to connect Nandigram with the railway network and approved the Rs 185-crore project to bring the town on the country’s rail map.

The route was announced and construction began soon. A majority of the landowners who gave their land for the project were given jobs and compensated as promised by Banerjee. A station with two platforms was built on the proposed land in Battala near the Nandigram Bus Stand.

A year later, Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal and three years later, the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014. Following this, work stopped at the station and the project came to an abrupt and grinding halt. It has been 13 years since and the station continues to be abandoned.

Also Read | What exactly led to the big Pawar switch, and why Bihar could be next

The half-built infrastructure is now covered in rust, India Today TV found. Although the station has everything - a foot overbridge, sheds for passengers and an administrative building, no arrangements are in place to protect the property, making it easily accessible to miscreants.

Various infrastructures have also been stolen due to neglect for a long time.

Most of the areas have been taken over by the locals, with the main administrative building being currently used as a cow shed. Cows are being kept inside the station offices. Miscreants allegedly use the empty rooms for drinking in the evenings. The land procured for the laying of the railway track is waterlogged.

The only transportation from Nandigram to other places is by road and locals were looking forward to being able to access the country’s vast rail network.

Also Read | Supriya Sule officially demands disqualification of 2 MPs after Ajit Pawar revolt

Before the state election in 2021, Mamata Banerjee’s close aide, Suvendu Adhikari, switched over to the BJP and was elected as an MLA from Nandigram. Locals thought Adhikari would fast track the project with the Centre’s help. However, there has been no progress, the locals alleged. A few months ago, local MP and Suvendu’s brother, Dibyendu Adhikari, claimed that he had spoken with the railways ministry to restart the project.

But the locals are not convinced. “The central government led by the BJP has stopped the railway project in Nandigram only because the Trinamool Congress is in power in Bengal. The project was on when Banerjee was the railways minister and got stuck after she left. Currently, Bengal has five ministers at the Centre. Why are they not talking to the Centre to start the station?” the TMC's former district vice president of East Medinipur, Seikh Sufian, asked. Sufian was the polling agent for Mamata Banerjee in the Nandigram constituency during the 2019 assembly election.

“Work on the project came to an abrupt halt seven years ago. The homeless are now living there. If the station is opened, our travel would become easier,” another said.

“Had Mamata Banerjee been the railways minister today, the project would have been complete by now. When she was in charge, the project was on in full swing. Today it has been turned into cowsheds and a place for the homeless. Miscreants frequent the place,” said a third.

Also Read | Assam: Autorickshaw driver rapes, murders minor girl, dumps body in river