ECOR updates on various project in Odisha and the land-acqusition related stumbling blocks
Angul - Talcher - Sukinda (under constr.), Haridaspur - Paradeep (under constr.), Khurda Rd - Balangir (under constr.), Lanjigarh Rd - Junagarh August 26th. 2011, 10:07pmFollowing is from a report in Telegraph:
- Khurda – Balangir line: "… the process of separating the government land has been hampered because of the demand of premium for it by the concerned tehsildars. This, when the state government had exempted it.
Between the 32km and the 112km marks of the line, 1,020 acres are required and out of this, 802 acres have been handed over by the state government.
However, processing of papers for the land acquisition from the 80km to the 112km mark is held up for verification. This patch of land is crucial for the project."
- Haridaspur-Paradip broad gauge line: " the progress of land acquisition has been hampered by the demand for higher compensation against acquired land by the local people. Interestingly, payment of ex gratia to the landlosers has already been made by Haridaspur- Paradip Rail Corporation Limited."
- Talcher-Bimalagarh new broad gauge line: "… a total of 68.56 acres of government land and 58.865 acres of forestland is yet to be demarkated by the state government in favour of railways."
- Angul-Sukinda new broad gauge line: "has also not been taken up because of the state government’s non-cooperation. The project would involve 69 villages, but formalities have been completed only for 38 villages. Preliminary estimates regarding the remaining 31 villages are pending with the commerce and transport department for sanction."
- Rajaathagarh-Barang doubling project: "… 11 acres were required. The total private land required for the project has been acquired and the alienation proposal is under process by the district administration."
- Jharsuguda-Rengal doubling rail project: "119 acres are involved. Land measuring 14.570 acres in two villages is to be handed over to railways by the state government. The acquisition of another 4.310 acres is pending with the state government’s transport and commerce department."
- Lanjigarh-Junagarh new broad gauge line: " work has been stalled because of non-acquisition of land. With the possession of 2.8km forestland yet to be reported by the divisional forest officer, Bhawanipatna, the construction has been held up.
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September 22nd, 2011 at 8:46 am
This is a sponsored report before the proposed visit of Railway Minister to Orissa and trivialisation of the issue of Railways’ consistent neglect of Orissa. Khurda Rd Balangir rail link was sanctioned in 1994-95. Till 2011, that is in 16 years, work estimates of only 0-36km was sanctioned. Railway Board sat with the estimates of 36-112km for more than four years. In Aug 2010, Board ordered a bankability study of this project to arrange finance from private sources. A bankability study after 16 years of sanction of the project, the only one of its kind in the country! Who will trust this organisation? Still Orissa Govt. acquired 80 per cent of land required for 36-112km section. When Railways realised and discovered the “crucial” nature of 80-112km stretch of the project?
Talcher Bimalagarh Line:
When Railways asked for land and deposited money for land acquisition for the project? They slept for seven years. The land plans of 25-149km are not ready yet. Tender for 0-25km have been repeatedly cancelled.
Angul Sukinda Rd Line:
Sanctioned in 1997. Slept for 12 years before asking for land.
Except for Haridaspur Paradeep, none of the railway projects in Orissa is really held up for land acquisition. This picking up of administrative issues in very small stretches and writing it as a major report is to save the skin of the sponsors. What else explains the motive of the report especially when one looks at the mention about Rajathgarh Barang doubling. Land required is 11 acres and acquired. Alienation proposal is with dist admin. And what is not mentioned is that they are building a bridge for the last 12 years.
Mr Trivedi is coming because revenue from iron ore traffic has come down especially after Karnataka ban last year. Railways want more from Orissa to make up for this. This year’s surplus targets from ECoR and SER have to be met especially after SER missing the target last year. Orissa should strive a hard bargain as and when Mr Trivedi comes calling.
1. The sanction of Jeypore Malkangiri, Rayagada Gopalpur, Junagarh Jeypore and Brahmapur Phulbani new lines should be prioritised.
2. Deadlines fixed for Khurda Balangir and Talcher Bimalagarh. I am not talking of RVNL projects.
3. A new passenger terminal in Bhubaneswar financed from Capital and railway funds, not PPP. We have been listening PPP and world class station for the last 10 years. Ranchi got Hatia, Patna got Rajendra Nagar, Guwahati got Kamakshya, Lucknow got Gomti nagar, Kolkata got Chitpur, Trivandrum got Kochuveli- all from capital and funds generated by profitable railways like ECoR and SER.
Hope the CM won’t be trapped and bogged down by tehsildar and forest ranger issues just because the railways slept over these for more than 10 years on an average and suddenly woken up from their slumber just before minister’s visit. Hope CM would stand firm the way he did with DRDO Chief.