Ravneet Bittu slams Punjab Govt for ‘no response’ to Centre’s letter on Ferozepur–Patti Rail Link project
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, November 12, 2025:Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu has accused the Punjab Government of delaying progress on the Ferozepur–Patti Rail Link Project by allegedly failing to respond to a letter from the Centre regarding land acquisition and implementation.
Bittu said, “This project was cleared on October 27, and the very next day, we sent a letter to the Punjab Chief Secretary, urging the state government to step up efforts for implementation and expedite land acquisition. We specifically requested the Mann government not to create further hurdles and to direct its officers to act swiftly. It has now been 14 days, and we have not received any response from the Punjab Chief Secretary. I don’t want to go further into it as I want to maintain a positive approach towards this project.”
He added that the letter was also sent to the Punjab DGP to ensure smooth coordination between departments for the project’s early execution.
In what he described as a “historic gift to Punjab,” Bittu announced that the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned the 25.72-km-long Ferozepur–Patti Rail Link Project, with an estimated cost of ₹764.19 crore, including ₹166 crore earmarked for land acquisition to be borne entirely by the Railways.
Originally sanctioned in April 2017 at ₹299.74 crore, the project was stalled for years due to land acquisition bottlenecks. With renewed approval, it has now been placed on the fast track, aiming to enhance connectivity between Punjab’s border districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Ferozepur and create a vital economic corridor linking Punjab with Gujarat ports.
Bittu expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, stating that the project will reduce the distance between Ferozepur and Amritsar from 196 km to about 100 km and shorten the Jammu–Ferozepur–Fazilka–Mumbai corridor by 236 km.
He further noted that the project is expected to benefit nearly 10 lakh people, generate 2.5 lakh employment opportunities, and cater to 2,500–3,500 daily passengers, including students, workers, and patients from nearby villages.