Hooghly (WB), Nov 16 Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has said the railways will not forcibly acquire land for its projects.

Laying the foundation stone for the Nanikul-Tarakeswar double line project here on Sunday, Banerjee said: "There is a difference between acquiring 1,000 acres of land in Singur and acquiring land for the railway projects. The railways will not acquire land forcibly. We are keeping options open. Willing land owners will be compensated."

"We will give compensation for acquiring land that is needed for railway tracks. In critical areas, there will be compensation and also a job for each family losing land," she added.

Banerjee's statement comes a year after she launched a massive protest against the acquisition of land of farmers for Tata Motors' Nano small car plant at Singur in West Bengal.

Following unending farmers protests, Tata Motors had to shelve the project in Singur and shift to a new site in Gujarat. (ANI)