BERHAMPUR: The aspirations of southern Orissa districts were ignored in the Railway Budget presented by Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday. There was no mention in the budget about a railway terminal at Berhampur, direct train from Berhampur to New Delhi, train from Berhampur to Puri and construction of railway track from Gopalpur to Rayagada, Berhampur to Sambalpur via Phulbani and extension of Nuapada-Gunupur railway line up to Therubali.
Cutting across partylines, leaders reacted sharply to the budget saying Mamata ignored the southern part of the state in her budget. "We expected more for this region. We thought that the Railway Minister will sanction for construction of Gopalpur-Rayagada new railway line," former union minister and PCC working president Chandrasekhar Sahu said. Sahu said feasibility report on the proposed track has already been prepared. The report is now with the Railway Board. "The proposed track is necessary to connect the port town to the industrial town as several industrial projects are lining up in Gopalpur," he said. The proposed line was his brain child and foundation for the survey was laid by him two years ago when Sahu was a Central minister.
Like the previous year, the state in general and southern Orissa in particular were ignored in the budget, revenue minister S N Patra said. When the railways was getting around Rs 6000-crore revenue from the state, the Centre did not provide same in proportion to the state for the development.
"We proposed for a railway track between Berhampur, the southern Orissa town to Sambalpur, the western Orissa town via Phulbani," said Rajya Sabha member (BJD) Renubala Pradhan.
The proposed line would cover Kandhmal, the most backward state in terms on railway network, she said, adding that Banerjee never mentioned it in the budget proposal.
Sources: Times of India
Seems that Odisha Government has already identified the land for the proposed Wagon Factory in Chatrapur (Near NH5) and also recommended to the Railway ministry.
ReplyDeleteIf possible, please blog it.
http://www.dharitri.com/010311/story10.asp
(Dharitri, March 1, 2011)
Berhampur’s Santipalli to have wagon factory
ReplyDeleteMarch 25, 2011 11:05:22 AM
PNS | Bhubaneswar
The railway authorities after inspecting number of places in KBK districts and not finding them suitable have identified Santipalli at Berhampur in Ganjam district to set up the proposed rail wagon factory.
According to sources, a rail wagon factory is to be set up in KBK districts of Odisha as per the 2010-2011 Railway Budget. Accordingly, the railway authorities visited Kalahandi, Kesinga, Narla Road, Lanjigarh Road, and Bhawanipatna Railway Station area to find out 100 acres of land adjacent to the rail track and submit a feasible report to the Government of Odisha for acquisition of land. However, the railway administration could not find a suitable place for the purpose and moved to coastal districts for feasible locations for wagon factory.
The Ganjam district administration and rail officers made a joint inspection in the district and found a place at Santipalli near Jagannathpur Railway Station of Berhampur. The State Government has approved to provide the 100 acre of land at Santipalli and the proposal has been sent to Railway Ministry, for their final consent for further plan of action. The project would be taken up in public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
http://dailypioneer.com/326657/Berhampur’s-Santipalli-to-have-wagon-factory.html