Bhubaneswar: The state government Thursday appealed to the Centre to give priority to the state in the upcoming railway budget by allocating sizeable funds for the 2016-17 fiscal for strengthening rail infrastructure and connectivity in the state.
In a letter to Railway minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Orissa requires a robust and well-planned railway infrastructure. “I request you to kindly ensure allocation of a sizeable part of this year’s railway budget to the state for strengthening and expanding of rail infrastructure,” wrote Patnaik. The CM’s move came shortly after Union parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu said Thursday that the railway budget will be placed in parliament February 25.
“For the forthcoming railway budget 2016-17, I have already proposed a package for Orissa for your empathetic consideration… This package of `5,000 crore includes detailed proposals for enhanced provisions for the ongoing projects, sanctioning of new lines, upgradation of major stations, surveys, introduction of new trains, extension and increase in frequency of existing mail/express trains, improved passenger amenities at stations, on-board services, etc.,” wrote Patnaik to Prabhu.
The CM pointed out that the length of railway routes and rail density in Orissa is much below the national average and even substantially lower than that in the neighboring states. “In contrast, gross earnings from various stations in Orissa are estimated to be in excess of `14,000 crore during 2014-15,” wrote Patnaik.
Stating that a large part of Orissa remains untouched by railways, the CM urged Prabhu to sanction projects such as Jeypore-Malkangiri and Jeypore-Nawarangpur rail lines in the forthcoming budget which, he said, can be undertaken in the same partnership model as in Khurda-Bolangir line. Patnaik also urged Prabhu to allocate funds in the railway budget for Sambalpur-Berhampur new line via Phulbani and Raygada-Gopalpur rail link, for which a survey has already been sanctioned. Patnaik urged the railway minister to accord priority to these projects as “national projects”.
The CM also highlighted the slow pace of execution of various projects such as Talcher-Bimlagarh new line, doubling of Sambalpur-Titlagarh and Angul-Sambalpur lines, for which work order has already been sanctioned. He also stressed the need for extending the eastern dedicated freight corridor from Dankuni to Brahmapur. Likewise he urged Prabhu to categorise the much-awaited wagon factory project at Sitalapali as a special case and help kick-start the workshop that has seen no progress in the last five years.
Patnaik also urged Prabhu to take adequate steps for modernisation of Bhubaneswar railway station. He also requested the introduction of DMU/MEMU train services on Brahmapur-Balasore, Cuttack-Paradip and Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Rourkela routes. PNN
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