Malkangiri: Even as the authorities of a government school in Chitrakonda block recently painted its building to resemble a train bogie, this tribal-dominated district is yet to get rail connectivity even after so many decades of the country’s Independence.
The painting also grabbed a lot of eyeballs after it was highlighted in several media. But the conscious citizens flayed the rail ministry as well as the administration saying both have made a mockery of the underdeveloped status of the district. While the real rail connectivity is nowhere at sight, the administration is deceiving the children, 90 per cent of whom have not seen a train in their life, they said.
According to reports, many organisations of the district as well as the state have been demanding rail network in the district. Recently, it was learnt from a question hour session in the Parliament that every year funds are allocated for laying railroads in the district for the last 30 years. However, the project never took off.
For instance, there was budgetary provision in 2016 fiscal for survey and land acquisition for 130 km of railway route. But the funds went back to the ministry as the railways couldn’t furnish details to the state government. The details included – the area to be covered, the number of plain land and hilly terrain and area of government and private lands.
Similarly, the rail ministry had granted Rs 75 crore for survey of 30 km long stretch towards the end of 2017. However, this fund would also return to the ministry as the survey is yet to begin.
The district is also not connected by flight service. The administration acquired about 288 acres of land near Batapalli, Nilimari, Gareiguda and Bailapari village in 2008 after the Centre expressed its interest to set up an airport.
Of them, nearly 126 acres belonged to private owners. Most of the people displaced for the airport project have already been given compensation that amounts to over Rs 2 crore.
However, the civil construction of the airport is yet to begin even after 10 years of land acquisition.
Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi said he had been putting pressure on the railway minister to include Malkangiri in rail network. But the funds often return to the department as the authorities fail to provide the detailed roadmap to the state government, Majhi added.
Chitrakonda MLA Dambaru Shisha said there is inordinate delay in both the rail and airport projects despite the fact that the state government is ready to offer land free of cost. Political leaders across party line should demand before the Centre to expedite the projects, he added.
Malkangiri MLA Manas Madkami said the Union railway minister appreciated the wall painting of a train. However, the minister should ensure that the people of Malkangiri get the opportunity to avail train service as early as possible, the legislator said.
PNN