Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal seeking ₹6,500 crore Rail Package for Odisha in #Budget2018 with focus on upgrading infrastructure, improving actual expenditure, enhancing passenger amenities, sanction of important new lines and two dedicated freight corridors.
Details of Odisha’s demand for Raiwlays from the budget:
• Odisha generates annual revenue for Indian Railways in excess of ₹15,000 crore, yet the average route length with rail density of 16.0 against national average of 20.0 is much lower than adjoining states likes West Bengal and Jharkhand.
• Several initiatives being taken to expedite augmentation of rail infra by state Government through JV/SPVs, free land allocation, project cost sharing, direct financing of construction etc
• Demand placed for introduction of new train by the name ‘Buxi Jagabandhu Express’ , commeorating bi-cenetenary of Paika Rebellion led by Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar Mohapatra
• Early sanction of short links
o Talcher – Angul via FCI (17km)
o Paradip – Dhamra (80km)
o Champua-Anandpur-Jajpur (138km)
o Barsuan-Banspal-Barbil (58km)
o Puri-Konark & Keonjhar Road-Jajpur (via Aradi) for pilgrims visiting Puri and Biraja Kshetra
• Expediting construction of new lines of Talcher-Bimalagarh and Jaleswar-Digha, doubling of Sambalpur-Talcher and Daitari-Keonjhar-Banspani and third line of Bhadrak-Nergundi-Vizianagaram stretch
• Early action for starting of passenger trains on Angul-Dubri-Sukinda and Haridaspur-Paradip projects which are passing through backward and unconnected areas of the State
• Upgradation of passenger amenities on important stations of Puri, Bhadrak, Brahmapur, Cuttack, Jajpur-Keonjhar Road, Khurda Road, Rayagada, Sambalpur, Balasore, Jharsuguda and Rourkela
• Commencement of detailed planning for Mass Rapid Transit System in greater Bhubaneswar region
• DEMU/MEMU services for Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Rourkela, Cuttack-Paradip, Brahmapur-Balasore corridor and Rourkela-Keonjhar via Barbil
• New train from Puri to Mumbai via Sambalpur and Titlagarh, extension of existing express service between Bhubaneswar and Keonjhar to Jameshedpur via Banspani
• Expediting work on developing existing Bhubaneswar station with world class facilities and initiating work on new Bhubaneswar station at Patia
• Initiation of East Coast dedicated freight corridors from Kharagpur to Vijaywada and East-West dedicated freight corrdior from Jharsuguda to Bilaspur
• Need for expediting sanctioning/starting of works in following:
o Wagon manufacturing factory at Sitalapalli, Ganjam (sanctioned in 2011-12)
o Concrete sleeper plants at Kantabanjhi and Bandamunda
o Railway asset maintenance units in KBK districts
• Reorganization of administrative structure of East Coast Railway, the No.1 loading railway in the country, by establishing new Divisional HQs at Rayagada, Jajpur-Keonjhar Road and Rourkela
Odisha’s GDP growth rate almost 20% higher than national GDP growth rate as state evolves in to major industrial and mineral hub as well as eastern gateway of the nation. Hence, world class rail infrastructure is crucial for rapid development and economic growth.
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