Bhubaneswar, Major railway projects were put on fast track with Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy reviewing the progress and resolving the issues relating to ground level implementation in a high level meeting held on digital mode from Lokseba Bhawan recently wherein Special Secretary Commerce and Transport and Commissioner Railway Coordination Manoj Mishra presented the updates for discussion.
Resolving the issues, Chief Secretary Tripathy directed concerned departments and the project proponents to “ensure strict ground level follow up of the ‘work schedule’ till completion and commissioning of the projects”. Collectors and Tahasildars were directed to give advance possession of the Government land for uninterrupted progress of the construction of the projects.
Tripathy also set timeline for different phases of the projects. He added, “Since the projects are critical from the view points of coal evacuation, passenger traffic and trade infrastructure, all the related field level officers should be on alert and proactive mode”.
Seven major projects were reviewed by the Chief Secretary. These were Khordha- Bolangir new broad gauge rail line of 289 km estimated around Rs.3550 cr; Sambalpur-Talcher doubling rail link of 174.11 km estimated around Rs.679.27cr; Vizianagaram-Sambalpur ( Titilagarh) 3rd line of 264.6 km estimated around Rs.2575 cr; Budhapank-Salegaon 3rd and 4th rail line of 170 km estimated around Rs. 1173 cr; Rourkela-Jharsuguda 3rd new rail link of 101 km estimated around Rs.1173 cr; Angul-Sukinda new line of 98.7 km estimated around Rs.638.5 cr; and, Talcher- Bimilagarh new rail link line of 155 km estimated around Rs. 810.78 cr.
The issues relating to distribution of compensation award to the land owners, handing over the possession of the Government land, forest clearances, compensatory afforestation, setting up of the towers, shifting of utilities, wild life clearances etc were deliberated and resolved in the meeting.
Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, Additional Chief Secretary Forest and Environment Dr Mona Sharma, Principal Secretary Commerce and Transport Madhu Sudan Padhi, Principal Secretary Home Sanjiv Chopra, Chief Administrative Officer East Coast Railway D.P. Lal, Chief Engineer of East Coast Railway along with senior officers of RVNL and concerned departments participated in the discussions.
