Railway budget 2008-09(PDF):

  • 75% of Railways goods traffic moves on about 20,000 km of the railways’ high density network, coal and iron ore routes and port connectivity railway lines.
  • Coal is the mainstay of Railway’s freight traffic. Loading of coal in 2007-08 is likely to be 336 MT. Most of the new dedicated routes for coal movement will be fit for 25 ton axle load trains.
  • The Railways receives 120 MT traffic from the steel industry every year.

Odisha is a major contributor to above two, coal and steel sectors, from which Indian railway makes a large share of profit and East Cost Railway is second most profit making zone of Indian railway.

However, in social responsibiltiy Railway has contributed little towards backward region development programme like for Kalhandi Balangir Koraput Kandhamal region.

  • There is no new line proposed for Odisha during this budget.
  • Based on demands, the following surveys are proposed to be taken up in Odisha:

Junagarh-Ambaguda
Barbil-Banspani
Kantabanji-Navrangpur-Jeypore
Khurda Road-Rajatgarh

Note:

(1) Survey has no meaning unless it is approved by railway. Junagarh – Nabarangpur was under consideration since years (from early 1990s, but no survey was under taken till now)

(2) Khordha road – Balangir was approved in 1993, but not yet started properly

(3) Lanjigarh road – Junagarh was approved in 1990 with initial estimate cost 250 crores, the project in not yet completetd by near about two decades.

(4) Bimalgarh – Talcher, on the ground no progress has been made since approval.