Amritsar: The construction of a large private building on railway land near the busy Rigo Bridge in Amritsar has triggered a major political and administrative controversy, with senior BJP leader Dr Ram Chawla demanding a thorough investigation into what he termed a “serious case of possible collusion and corruption” within the railway administration.
Raising alarm over the issue, Dr Chawla alleged that land worth several crores of rupees, owned by the Indian Railways and falling under the jurisdiction of the Central Railway Department, has allegedly been leased out to a private company at throwaway prices. He said the land is strategically located and highly valuable, making the alleged decision to allow private construction deeply questionable and against public interest.
According to Dr Chawla, the land in question is government property, and its use for private commercial construction raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability. He alleged that senior officials within the railway system may be involved, enabling the transfer or leasing of this premium land at highly undervalued rates. Calling it a “grave issue,” he said such actions undermine public trust and reflect poorly on governance standards.
Dr Chawla further claimed that in order to mislead the general public, a board has been installed at the site describing the structure as a “railway construction project,” even though, according to him, the building is being developed by a private company. He alleged that this was done deliberately to avoid scrutiny and suppress public opposition.
Sources familiar with the matter have also suggested that the ongoing private construction near Rigo Bridge is adversely impacting the progress of the bridge project itself. The slowdown in construction work has reportedly resulted in severe traffic congestion in the surrounding areas, causing daily inconvenience to thousands of commuters and residents. Long traffic jams and frequent bottlenecks have become a routine problem, further aggravating public frustration.
Questioning the rationale behind the alleged move, Dr Chawla said that the Indian Railways, one of the country’s largest public institutions, is fully capable of developing its own infrastructure, including passenger amenities such as railway rest houses and transit facilities. “If the Railways have such valuable land, why is it being handed over to private entities instead of being used for public utility and passenger convenience?” he asked.
He stressed that it is imperative to identify which officials and departments may be involved in what he described as a potential case of corruption. “This matter warrants a deep and impartial investigation to determine who approved this arrangement, under what terms, and at what cost to the public exchequer,” he said.
Dr Chawla announced that he will formally submit written complaints to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, sitting Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, and former MP and senior BJP leader Shwet Malik. He said the objective of approaching senior political and administrative authorities is to ensure direct intervention by the central government so that the matter is investigated with seriousness and transparency.
He demanded that if any irregularities or wrongdoing are found, strict action should be taken against all those responsible, irrespective of rank or position. “Public land is not private property. Any misuse of government assets must be dealt with firmly,” he asserted.
The issue has now gained political traction in Amritsar, with growing calls for accountability and clarity over the use of prime railway land. As public inconvenience mounts due to traffic disruptions near Rigo Bridge, pressure is increasing on the authorities to clarify the legality of the construction and take corrective measures if violations are confirmed.
