Odisha port connectivity plans
Choumukha-Kirtania, Balasore (Creative ports, Chennai interested), Dhamara port (under constr.), Railways, Roads, highways and Bus stands, Talsari (Bichitrapur) - JSW interested December 29th. 2010, 7:38pmFollowing are excerpts from a report in Business Standard.
"The Government of India has announced a major policy initiative to offer Viability Gap Finding (VGF) for providing road and rail connectivity to the minor ports. As per this policy, the Government of India will bear 50 per cent of the cost for the road and rail infrastructure, the state government will provide 30 per cent while the remaining 20 per cent will be borne by the port developers”, G K Dhal, principal secretary (commerce & transport) said.
For the proposed port at Bichitrapur in Balasore district, the road connectivity would be between Jaleshwar and Bichitrapur while the rail connectivity would be from Digha to Bichitrapur.Similarly, for the port proposed at Subarnarekha mouth, also in Balasore district, the road connectivity is proposed between Basta and Choumukha whereas the rail connectivity would be from Haldipada to Choumukha.
The road connectivity for the Dhamara port in Bhadrak district has been envisaged from Jamujhadi on NH-5 to the port site. The rail link is being developed between Bhadrak and Dhamara.
… "The Orissa government has also proposed an industrial corridor on the Meramandali-Angul-Talcher-Chhendipada belt linking the coal mines, power plants and steel plants. Rail India Technical & Economic Services (Rites), the consultancy arm of Indian Railways, has submitted a draft feasibility report in this regard which is under the scrutiny of the state government. The Orissa government intends to form a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the purpose. This common corridor will be co-habited by multiple players and can be financed by participative funding”, he added.
December 30th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Here we go. Our politicians have now got into the act. One just hopes that people don’t oppose projects just for the sake of opposing them.
http://www.sify.com/news/12-injured-as-villagers-clash-with-police-over-port-project-news-national-km4sEoaffgb.html.
A couple of suggestions to ensure transparency in such projects:
– The company setting up such projects should ensure transparency in its dealings (land, project plans etc.) by publishing details on its website/in the press/other means of outreach.
– Politicians (MLAs, ZP, Ward corporators) and government officials should declare their land holdings around the area. Often politicians start buying up land around such areas through forcible means from villagers in order to reap the benefits of government compensation. Example:
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/123382/India/tn-farmers-accuse-raja-of-forcing-them-to-sell-their-land.html
January 7th, 2011 at 4:44 am
You have raised a nice topic for discussion and its high time to know how may of us are aware about it.