Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the Railway Budget for 2021-22, the Odisha Government has urged the Ministry of Railways to allocate Rs 7,200 crore for various projects in the State.
While Rs 3,500 crore has been sought for different ongoing projects, including doubling, third and fourth lines, Rs 3,700 crore demanded for several new key projects. Placing its demand, the State Government said Odisha contributes the maximum to railway revenue and the Government has been financially participating for development of various projects. In this context, Odisha has legitimate rights to seek more and better railway services for its people. But the Ministry has withdrawn about 300 stoppages of passenger/coaching trains from the State without any consultation with State Government and they need to be restored early.
The Government also urged the Railway Ministry to expedite the process to introduce passenger trains on the Haridaspur-Paradip line, which has been commissioned recently, for the benefit of people in Kendrapada district. Over 15 goods trains are plying on this route daily. The Government also requested the Ministry for timely arrangements to introduce passenger trains on the Angul-Sukinda line, which is currently under construction. “There is virtually no progress on railway factory projects in Odisha.
Both sanctioned works of wagon manufacturing factory at Sitallapali and electric locomotive maintenance (POH) workshop in Kalahandi are languishing despite allocation of land for both projects free of cost by State Govt,” said an official statement.Details of the demands:New projects: Extension of Nuapada-Gunupur BG rail link up to Theruvalli (79 km); Puri-Konark link (38 km); Bansapani-Barbil (18 km); Jajpur Keonjhar Road-Dhamra Port via Jajpur/ Aradi (95 km); Talcher-Gopalpur (245 km); Paradip-Dhamra (80 km); missing railway links in Mayurbhanj district; Buramara-Chakulia (50 km); Bangiriposhi- Gorumahisani (42 km). Ongoing projects: Khurda Road-Bolangir NBG rail link; Talcher-Bimalagarh (154 km); Jaleswar-Digha (41 km); Jeypore-Nabarangpur (38 km); Jeypore-Malkangiri (130 km).
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