Archive for the 'DISTRICTS & BLOCKS' Category

Global Avianautics Limited (GAL) to fly 6-seater between Bhubaneswar and Rangeilunda (Berhampur/Gopalpur)

Berhampur- Gopalpur- Chhatrapur, Ganjam, Rangeilunda Berhampur 1 Comment »

Following is an excerpt from a report in ibnlive.com.

A New Delhi based private aviation service company, Global Avianautics Limited (GAL) introduced non-scheduled air transport operation from Rangeilunda airstrip here to Bhubaneswar pressing into service a six seater (two pilots and four passengers) twin engine aircraft. Ganjam district collector V K Pandian launched the service. Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company O P Suri was present on the occasion.GAL is now operating the Government Aviation Training Institute (GAIT), Bhubaneswar. … The operation from Rangeilunda to Bhubneswar would be held on the basis of availability of passengers. Since GAL has acquired licence from Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) for non-scheduled air transport operation, the company can operate to any place in the state within a radius of 600 km where airstrip facilities are available, Chief Manager of the GAIT, P. Chakravarti said.  … The non-scheduled air transport service from Rangeilunda would pave way for a full-fledge airport in future, said local MLA (Gopalpur) Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi.Meanwhile, Road and Building, Division-II, Berhampur has prepared an estimated Rs 27.29-crore plan for development of Rangeilunda airstrip.

Everest Engineering’s plan for Balasore

Balasore, Balasore- Chandipur, Cement, Steel ancilaries 1 Comment »

Following is from http://www.everestind.com/news-detail.asp?descid=298&CatID=711.

Everest Industries said it would set up a Greenfield project in Orissa with an investment of INR 50 crore, which will help it to achieve a total turnover of INR 1,300 crore in the next two years.

Spread over 20 acres of land, the new plant, which will be the company’s sixth facility, would have a total capacity of 180,000 tonne of fiber cement and steel fabrication.

Mr Manish Garg president told reporters that “The new plant will involve an investment of INR 50 crore and it will come up at Balasore in Orissa and will be commissioned in next 15 to 16 months time.’

Everest Industries is now eyeing pre-engineered buildings segments in a big way in the field of automobile and warehousing sectors. He said that “We are aiming to generate a business of INR 200 crore from pre engineered buildings segment after focusing on warehousing and industrial segment.’

The company, which clocked sales of INR 650 crore in last fiscal, is aiming to grow to INR 1,300 crore by 2012—13 after the new plant starts at Orissa.
Mr Garg said that “By the end of next fiscal, our sales will reach INR 1,000 crore and thereafter it will move to INR 1300 crore.”

Finally a direct road from Bhubaneswar airport to Khurda Rd/Jatani; will serve the IIT and NISER locations well

Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Khordha, Roads, highways and Bus stands 3 Comments »

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

A new road project in Bhubaneswar is expected to relieve traffic congestion to a huge extent on National Highway (NH) – 5.

The upcoming road will link the capital city with the township of Jatni. At present, people travelling from Bhubaneswar to Jatni have to take the NH-5.

Construction on the 14.2km Sundarpada-Harirajpur road is going on at full speed. Work on the project, estimated to cost around Rs 7.53 crore, is expected to be complete by the end of this month. The road was a long-standing demand of the people as the Sundarpada-Jatni stretch has seen rapid growth in the past few months with a number of housing colonies coming up in the area.

While more than 30 apartments have been build near Sundarpada, two engineering colleges and four management colleges also come up in the area.

The project, which started on January 31, 2010, was supposed to be completed by January 30 this year. However, due to problems, including law and order issues, created by villagers in the locality, the work got delayed.

This road already shows up in Google map. In 3-4 years once IIT and NISER campuses are built and become functional near Jatani, this road will become a very important artery of the Bhubaneswar area.

One more step towards Bhubaneswar-Cuttack integration: city bus service encompassing both to be introduced soon

Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Cuttack, Cuttack, Khordha, NURM, JNNURM 7 Comments »

Following is from Dharitri.

The routes that are mentioned above are:

  1. Khandagiri, Vanivihar, Rasulgarh, Phulnakhara, Link Road, Badambadi, Khan Nagar Kali Mandira Chhack, High Court, Gundicha Mandira, CDA.
  2. Biju Patnaik Park, Chahata, Ram Mandir, Deer Park, Biju Patnaik Chhack, Kanika Chhack, Chandi Mandira, Barabati Stadium, Howrah Motor Chhack, Mata Matha, SCB Medical, Jobra barrage, College Chhack, OMP Chhack, Link Road, Phulnakhara, Rasulgarh, Vaniviahr, Khandagiri.
  3. SCB Medical, Jobra Barrage, Jagatpur, OMP Chhack, Link Road, Gopalpur, Phulnakhara, Rasulgarh, Vanivihar, Master Canteen, Rajmahal chhack, Forest Chhack, Ganganagar, Capital Hospital, AG Chhack, Rajbhavan, Siripur, Fire Station.
  4. CRRI to Lingaraj temple.

Unless the BJD government takes quick steps to offer land in Kalahandi for a wagon factory, the stir in Kalahandi could become the rallying cry that causes BJD’s downfall

CENTER & ODISHA, Kalahandi, Wagon Factory Comments Off on Unless the BJD government takes quick steps to offer land in Kalahandi for a wagon factory, the stir in Kalahandi could become the rallying cry that causes BJD’s downfall

Following is a page from the Lok Sabha tarnscript of 4th March 2011.

In the part marked by red above, the Railway minister Ms. Mamta Banerjee says:

We are ready to make (the wagon factory) in the land that the government gives us; but if we get land in Kalahandi then we are ready to do one more. But it must be Kalahandi because that is an under-developed area.

So the government is shooting itself on the foot by not taking immediate steps to offer a site in Kalahandi and asking for a second wagon factory.

Some small stirs have started happening on this issue in Kalahandi.

  1. http://www.tathya.in/news/story.asp?sno=5133 .
  2. http://dailypioneer.com/329493/Wagon-unit-Cong-launches-stir-across-Kalahandi.html .
  3. http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/kalahandi-intensifies-agitation-demanding-rail-wagon-factory/638108.html .
  4. http://telegraphindia.com/1110406/jsp/orissa/story_13814102.jsp .

If the issue is not taken care of immediately then this could form the core of a rallying cry from Congress.

On this issue the government is in the wrong and they will have to  bow down to do the right thing. The more they delay the more they will lose politically.

Upcoming Forum malls in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela

Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Khordha, Malls, Rourkela- Kansbahal, Sundergarh 5 Comments »

(Thanks to http://www.rourkelacity.com/rdf/showthread.php?p=1291#post1290 for the pointer.)

The following are screens shots from http://www.forumprojects.in/forum_retail_upcoming/retail_upcoming.html.

MOEF gives approval to Gopalpur port extension

Berhampur- Gopalpur- Chhatrapur, Ganjam, Gopalpur port (under constr.) Comments Off on MOEF gives approval to Gopalpur port extension

Following is from http://www.igovernment.in/site/moef-nod-orissa-port-expansion-project-39561.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has given a nod for the expansion of Gopalpur port project in Orissa.

"We received a communication from the Ministry in this regard," of the Gopalpur Port Limited (GPL) Executive Director PK Panigrahi said.

The port, about 170 km from here, is a seasonal port operational from November to March and handles cargo, including iron ore, coal and fertiliser ranging from half a million tonnes to 0.7 million tones, reports IANS.

"The Ministry has granted the permission to make it an all-weather port," Panigrahi said, adding that the construction for the expansion of the project will start within a month and complete within 24 months.

The company has planned to invest Rs 1,250 crore initially. The port will have an installed capacity of handling at least 12 million tonnes cargo by 2013 and aims to increase the capacity to handle 54-60 million tonnes per annum by 2022, the official said.

Initially, the port has planned to receive vessel size of one lakh DWT (Deadweight tonnage) and after enhancement of the capacity it will be able to receive vessel size of 130,000 DWT, he said.

Odisha single window clearance committee approves projects involving Rs 1,215 crores

Balangir, Cement, Cuttack, Jajpur, Khordha, Ore pelletisation, Single Window Clearance (SLSWCA), Steel ancilaries Comments Off on Odisha single window clearance committee approves projects involving Rs 1,215 crores

Following is from a report in ibnlive.com.

The committee headed by chief secretary B K Patnaik cleared two cement projects, an iron ore pelletisation unit and a high tension cable manufacturing unit, official sources said here. The pelletisation project, with 6 mtpa capacity, is proposed to be set up by Chadalavada Pvt Ltd at a cost of Rs 680 crore near Kalinganagar in Jajpur district, they said. The project, proposed to come up in 250 acre, is expected to generate 500 jobs, they said, adding that in the first phase its capacity would be 2.5 mtpa. The cable manufacturing unit is to be set up in 40 acre near Khurda by Gupta Power Infrastructure Pvt Ltd at an investment of Rs 192 crore. It has the potential to hire about 400 people. One of the cement units is proposed to be established in 25 acre, by Jajpur Cement Ltd near Kalignanagar, at a cost of Rs 63 crore. Its capacity would be 0.5 mtpa. Similarly, Nabadurga Industries Ltd seeks to set up two units at a cost of Rs 280 crore. It would have a clinker unit at Kantabanjhi in Balangir district and a crushing project at bainchhua in Cuttack district, sources said adding the entire project would have the potential to provide employment to 400 people.

No suitable land for Railway wagon factory in Kalahandi!! This is ridiculous.

Ganjam, Kalahandi, Railway Budget 2010, Railway Budget 2011, Wagon Factory 9 Comments »

Following is from a report in Pioneer.

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.

This is ridiculous. I can not believe that there is no suitable land near the railway track in Kalahandi.

Moreover the Railway minister has already said that he can give another wagon factory if a suitable land is found in Kalahandi. So even if some powerful person wants to have a wagon factory in Ganjam, that can still happen while a wagon factory is made in Kalahandi. So the Odisha government should take up on the Railway minister’s offer immediately. 

Centre to take over the Subarnarekha Multi-purpose Project (SMP) under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)

Dam project, Mayurbhanj Comments Off on Centre to take over the Subarnarekha Multi-purpose Project (SMP) under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)

Update: Following from the PIB release at http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=71375.

Centre has provided an assistance of Rs.216.817 crore for Subernrekha project to Orissa State for 2010-11. With this, the total Central assistance for this Project has gone to Rs.1,058.35 crore. Subernrekha project is an inter-state project between Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal. West Bengal component of the project is at present at initial stage and is not being posed for Central Assistance under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) after 2002-03. Jharkhand component of the project is not included in AIBP so far. Hence active component of the project under AIBP is in Orissa State only. Government of Orissa has earmarked March 2014 as the targeted completion date for Subernrekha Project. A total of 6,920 families in Orissa have been affected from this project. The Centre has been informed by the Government of Orissa that rehabilitation assistance has been paid to 2,840 families and payment is in progress for 1,699 families. The Government of Orissa has a budgetary provision of Rs.350 crore for the project for 2010-11.


Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India.

The project, a joint venture of Jharkhand, Orissa and Bengal, aims to cover around 3.6 lakh hectares of land. Jharkhand will benefit the most as its 2.63 lakh hectares land will be irrigated. It will also generate around 500 MW hydel power. Orissa’s 90,000 hectares and West Bengal’s 5,000 hectares will also be benefited by the SMP.

… The technical advisory committee of the Central Water Commission (CWC) has approved the project under the AIBP with an estimated cost of Rs 6,613 crore in four years.

… Joint secretary of the information and public relation department Rajiv Baxi said, "The CWC has approved the proposal of the state government to take the SMP under the AIBP. According to the decision 90 per cent of the project cost will be shared by the Union government as it covers three states and the remaining cost will have to be shared by the three beneficiary states," said Baxi.

Officials in the state water resources department said the Centre’s decision would be a boon for people of the three states as it would provide irrigation facility round-the-year. "Farmers will not have to depend on the vagaries of monsoon and at the same time it will also help maintain underground water reserve," said an official.

1300 crores to be spent in building the Baramunda bus-terminal in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Khordha, Modern Bus Stands 2 Comments »

Following are excerpts from a report in Economic Times.

Sunil Agarwal , President & CEO, ARSS Infra in an interview with ET Now talks about the bus terminal development project bagged by the company.

This order its after a long time that I am seeing somebody bag an order of this nature bus terminals. What is the deal, how much is the annual expenditure for this development and what you will get in return?

Yes, this is a deal for developing of bus terminal in Bhubaneswar, Odisha which is a capital of Odisha. We will be developing bus terminal for Odisha Bus Bhubaneswar. This is located in Bermuda. We have paid 56 crore premium to the government of Odisha and we have signed the concession agreement yesterday.

The total project cost of the terminal will be around 1300 crore out of which we will be developing half of the terminal as bus terminal and the basic infrastructure for bus terminal will be also used for the commercial facility which also will be developed by Government of Odisha.

Any income will not come in this year, the income will generate from after 2 year when the bus terminal will be completed. We have to develop the bus terminal in 2 years and we have to operate and maintain it for 50 more years. As far as expenditure is concerned this year we will be spending around 200 to 250 crore and coming forward this total expenditure will be completed in another 5 years.

And when will revenues start to kick in from the same projects and what are the kind of margins that you are expecting?

See the overall margins for operating and lease rental and as well as from the commercial development we will be generating around 500 crore of margin in the period of 4 to 5 years and this margin will start generating from 2013 after development of the bus terminal in 2 years. And the basic facilities and infrastructure that we will be developing for the bus terminal the same will be used for commercial developments also.

If you start getting revenues after 2 years, what is the annuity that you expect from this project?

The annuity will be somewhere around 8200 crore a year.

For how many years would this be?

This one will continue for 15 years. …

If all these numbers are right this would be a wonderful facilty. Moreover, it will demonstrate the feasibility of other similar sized or bigger PPP projects, especially Railway Station (IR plans a world class station built on PPP mode), Airport, Metro/Light-rail.

To get a bit of background, we give the following from a slightly older report in Pioneer.

After long, the process has begun for developing three bus stands with modern facilities in the State. The bus stands to be developed in public-private partnership (PPP) mode include Baramunda Bus Stand of Bhubaneswar, Badambadi main Bus Stand of Cuttack and the Dhenkanal Bus Stand.

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting held under chairmanship of Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik at the State Secretariat on Wednesday.

After the meeting, the Chief Secretary said to the reporters that while ARSS Infrastructure Project Limited has been given responsibility to develop two bus stands of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, another company PK Behera Construction Private Limited will develop Dhenkanal Bus Stand.

The Development works would be complete by December, 2012. “An MoU has already been signed with the two companies and concessional agreements would be signed soon,” Patnaik informed, adding that the construction work would begin in two months time and the projects would be complete in two years.

Regarding conditions of MoU with the companies, Patanik said the two companies have been asked to use 60 per cent of each of bus stands for bus terminal and 40 per cent as market complex. The lands would be given on lease basis and the company would hand over the terminal areas to the Government after completion of 15 years and market complex area after 90 years, he informed.

The companies would be given 14 acres of land for Baramunda Bus Stand, 4.6 acres of land for Badambadi Bus Stand and 5 acres of land for Dhenkanal Bus Stand. ARSS would give concessional fee of Rs 56 crore and 17.21 crore for Baramunda and Badambadi respectively and PK Behera Construction Private Limited would give 1.26 crore for Dhenkanal Bus Stand.

Dhamara port all set to start operations in April 2011; builds sister port relationship with Seattle port

Bhadrakh, Dhamara port (under constr.), L & T, Tatas Comments Off on Dhamara port all set to start operations in April 2011; builds sister port relationship with Seattle port

Following is an excerpt from a report in Economic Times.

The Rs 3,200-crore Dhamra Port in Orissa, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), is ready and will go operational next month, a top company official said.

Dhamra Port Company Limited (DPCL) has so far invested Rs 2,900-crore out of the total project cost of Rs 3,239-crore and almost 100 per cent work on the project has been completed.

… "We have completed 100 per cent work of the port including the construction work for the 62-kilometer rail link from Dhamra to Bhadrak on the main Howrah-Chennai line," he said.

… Situated between Haldia and Paradip, the port at Dhamra will be the deepest of India with a draught of 18 meters, which can accommodate super cape-size vessels up to 1,80,000 dead weight tonnes (DWT).

DPCL has recently entered into a sister port relationship agreement with the US-based Port of Seattle. The pact is aimed at exchange of information on port users, technology transfer and sharing of best practises between the two ports.

Following is a map from http://www.dhamraport.com/maps.asp.

Mamta is ready for a second wagon factory in Kalahandi; Odisha must take immediate action

Ancilaries, Balangir, Berhampur- Gopalpur- Chhatrapur, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Railway Budget 2010, Railway Budget 2011, Samaja (in Odia), Wagon Factory 6 Comments »

Hindalco to make beverage can sheets in Hirakud

Aluminium, Aluminum ancilaries, Birlas, Business Standard, Sambalpur 1 Comment »

(Thaks to a reader for the pointer.)

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

Kumar Mangalam Birla-controlled Hindalco Industries plans to produce cans for beverages and food giants such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo from its plant at Hirakud in Orissa. The company has begun dismantling a closed plant of Novelis in Rogerstone, Britain, and intends to ship all key equipment to Hirakud.

The Hirakud expansion for beverage can-making is scheduled to be complete by October next year. “A project is underway for transfer of equipment for flat rolled products from the Novelis plant…this will enable us to produce can body stock for local and export markets,” said the company.

Hindalco would be using the plant and technology of Novelis to make cans’ body stock in India for the first time. Novelis is the world’s leading maker of aluminium rolled products, used for making cans.

About 45 per cent of Novelis’ shipment is beverage cans. It produces an estimated 19 per cent of the world’s flat-rolled aluminium products and is the number one producer in Europe, South America and Asia, and the second-largest in North America. It is also the world leader in the recycling of used aluminum beverage cans.

At Hirakud, the aluminium maker has a smelter capacity of 155 kilo tonnes per annum (ktpa). It is expanding this to 213 ktpa and building a 100-Mw captive power generation capacity. Expansion to 161 ktpa will be completed by July this year and the rest will be commissioned in October 2012.

Land acquisition for the expansion has been completed and statutory clearances obtained. The technology agreement has been finalised with GAMI. Equipment has started arriving at the site and erection begun, said the company in a recent investor presentation.

See also this article in Economic Times.

This is really great news. Odisha needs and should go after more and more downstream industries.

Bridge on Kathjodi near Trisulia would decrease the distance between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack by 10 km

Bhubaneswar and vicinity, Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack- Kalinganagar, Cuttack Comments Off on Bridge on Kathjodi near Trisulia would decrease the distance between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack by 10 km

Following are excerpts from a report in Telegraph.

The proposed bridge from CDA Square up to Trisulia and Baranga, which is said to be longest and first of its kind three-lane bridge in the state, would act as ‘direct-link’ between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

… “The distance between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar would be reduced by 10km after the completion of the project. Efforts are on by the government for the all-round development of Cuttack and I hope the new project would be completed on time,” Naveen said.

… With the construction of the second bridge, one would have to cover a distance of only 20km from CDA square to Jaydev Vihar via Nandankanan and Trisulia. The length of the bridge would be 2.8km and it would also have footpaths for pedestrians and cycles on both sides and dividers and railing. The cost of the total project was estimated to be around Rs 122crore.

… The project, to be built in assistance of National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), is expected to be completed within three years.

The three-lane bridge would not only solve precious time of the people, it will also create new vistas for development in Barang and nearby areas which are also in an expansion mode. The project has been targeted to be completed within three years from the date of agreement with the company, Pradhan said.

… Apart from this, there is also a proposal to construct another bridge over Mahanadi river. The bridge would connect Pitapali area near Khurda with Dhenkanal on NH-5 via Manguli square. The existing route distance would be reduced to 71.5 km from 93km. The project is also likely to take off soon.

The last paragraph is confusing. Pitapali, Dhenkanal and Manguli Square form a triangle. It could mean the proposed bridge near Jatamundia in the following map.

Or, as suggested by reader Debi Prasanna Sarangi, it could mean the bridge over Mahanadi in the following map. (Note: The point where NH-5 meets NH-42 is called Manguli Square.)

Odisha going ahead with the Ong river irrigation project; Baragarh and Balangir to benefit; Chhatisgarh seems co-operative

Balangir, Bargarh, Dam project Comments Off on Odisha going ahead with the Ong river irrigation project; Baragarh and Balangir to benefit; Chhatisgarh seems co-operative

Following is from a PTI report in dnaindia.com.

Exactly eight years after the ministry of environment and forest accorded stage-I forest clearance to Ong Irrigation Project, the Orissa government has decided to go ahead with the major project to be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs305 crore, official sources said.

"Notification for land acquisition for the Ong project has already been made. The state government has also made budgetary allocation for the purpose," water resources secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra told reporters after holding a discussion with the local MLA and state’s Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste Minister Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha.

Stating that the project would irrigate about 30,000 hecatre of land in Bargarh district, Mohapatra said that public hearing for the pupose was conducted both in Orissa and
neighbouring Chhatishgarh state.

The drought prone area of Padmapur, Sohela, Bijepur, Gaisilat blocks of Padampur in Baragarah district and Agalpur block of Balangir district would get irrigation facilities after completion of the project, Mohapatra said.

While Rs10 crore was allocated for the project in the current fiscal, Rs 15 crore could be sanctioned in 2011-12, Mohapatra said adding that there was apparently no opposition to the project in Bargarh’s Padmapur area.

While the Stage-I Forest clearance had been received from MOEF during February, 2003, the public hearing for environment clearance was conducted on August 6, 2004 in Orissa and on September 11, 2007 in Chhatisgarh.

The salient features of the project given at http://dowrorissa.gov.in/Projects/MajMed/Proposed/Details/SFONG.pdf are as follows:

 

First phase of the 75 km ring road around Bhubaneswar to start

Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR), Hi-Tech to Lingipur Daya bridge (13 kms), Khordha, NH 203 (97 Kms: Bhubaneshwar-Pipili-Puri-Konark) Comments Off on First phase of the 75 km ring road around Bhubaneswar to start

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

The construction of a 75-km ring road circling the capital is likely to begin in two months. 

… Sources said in the first phase of the project a 13km road would be built from Hi-Tech Medical College and Hospital Square to Lingipur near the Daya Bridge on the outskirts of the city.

With tenders having been finalised, the work is likely to begin in the next two months. Sources said that the project will be executed at an estimated cost of Rs 35.09 crore and would be completed in two years. 

… the ring road would help address the communication needs of the city besides acting as a buffer against occasional floods. All the major roads of the city would join the ring road at one point or another.

… once the road materialised the traffic congestion between Rasulgarh Square and Samantarapur would be reduced significantly. This will be an additional support to the National Highway-203 bypass road, which is bearing the brunt of the traffic currently.

… Foundation stone for two more feeder roads, which would ultimately join the ring road, was also laid yesterday. While one of these would involve two-laning of an existing road between Kalpana Square-Jagannath Ashram, the other one would be a four-lane road stretch from Ravi Talkies Square to Sai temple. …

Major four laning and infrastructure building initiative in Puri for 2015 Nabakalebar

Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, NH 203 (97 Kms: Bhubaneshwar-Pipili-Puri-Konark), NH 203A (49 Kms: Puri - Bramhagiri - Satpada), Odisha govt. action, Orissa State Road Project, Puri, State highways Comments Off on Major four laning and infrastructure building initiative in Puri for 2015 Nabakalebar

Following are excerpts from a report in tathya.in.

… The first preparatory meet for Nabakalebara was chaired by Chief Minister, was attended by P K Mohapatra, RDC, U N Behera Principal Secretary Home, Aditya Prasad Padhi Principal Secretary to CM.

… A Four Lane National Highway is progressing from Bhubaneswar (Rasulgarh) to Puri (Sipasarubali) with almost half the road will be new alignment. 

Meeting decided to approach National Highway Authority of India(NHAI) to develop Four Lanning of Puri-Konark and Puri-Satapada Road. 

Secondly at least seven roads will be taken up for Four Lanning, which include Pipili-Konark, Charichhak-Niali-Phulanakhara, Balighai-Gop, Pipili-Jatnai, Chandanpur-Rameswar, Bira Harekrishnapur-Talabania and Bira Harekrishnapur-Rahangiria Roads.

… There is a need for creating more hotel and lodging rooms, for which appropriate Government land has to be provided to the promoters adopting transparent procedure.

The following maps show the location of some of the names mentioned above.

One interesting point to note is that Puri district’s area is 3,479 sq. km, which is comparable to Goa’s 3,702 sq km. Population wise they are also comparable. Goa’s population is 1.4 million while Puri district’s population is about 1.5 million.

Past the Nabakalebar in 2015, the Odisha government may think of building up on the infrastructure and try to benchmark Puri district with respect to Goa. It may also consider to make it a special district with some special laws that will allow it the flexibility to become as big a tourist hub (or bigger) than Goa, minus the negatives.

Trishulia-Gundicha Mandir (CDA) bridge contract about to be awarded; will drastically improve Cuttack and Bhubaneswar connectivity

Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack- Kalinganagar, Cuttack, Khordha, Nabard, Rivers and Bridges, Roads, highways and Bus stands Comments Off on Trishulia-Gundicha Mandir (CDA) bridge contract about to be awarded; will drastically improve Cuttack and Bhubaneswar connectivity

Following is from Dharitri:

State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) approves 3,400 crore investment proposals including a re-bar mill and a hi-carbon ferrochrome unit by Tata Steel in Gopalpur

Cement, Ferro-chrome, Ganjam, Jajpur, Single Window Clearance (SLSWCA), Steel, Sundergarh, Tatas Comments Off on State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) approves 3,400 crore investment proposals including a re-bar mill and a hi-carbon ferrochrome unit by Tata Steel in Gopalpur

Following is from a report in ibnlive.in.com.

  • Of the total Rs 3,400 crore investment proposals approved by the SLSWCC, Rs 2,870 crore would be in the steel sector …
  • SLWCC approved a proposal from Tata Steel to set up a re-bar mill and a hi-carbon ferrochrome unit at its Gopalpur SEZ in Ganjam district. The steel major would invest Rs 800 crore in the project … this time the company had been asked to use water through the process of desalination, Ramachandru said. While the Tata Steel was planning to manufacture 4 lakh metric ton of re-bar mill per annum from its re-bar mill unit, it would produce 55,000 metric tons of hi-carbon ferrochrome at the Gopalpur SEZ to be set up by the company.
  • Other steel units included
    • a 0.6 mtpa integrated plant at an investment of Rs 925 crore by Shyam Steel Industry
    • Sri Bajrang Power & Ispat company’s 0.12 mtpa steel plant at an investment of Rs 500 crore
    • another 0.21 mtpa plant at an investment of Rs 645 crore by Rupa Ispat
  • Aryan Mining and Trading Corporation Limited’s proposal for setting up an ore benefication plant at Koeda in Sundargarh district at an investment of Rs 423 crore was also okayed
  • Kashivi International’s proposal to set up an iron ore pellet plant at an investment of Rs 56 crore was also cleared
  • Binani Cement Limited which had initially decided to set up a cement plant at Dhamra in Bhadrak district had been allowed to shift its unit to Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district

 

POSCO non-approval approval; Odisha government should do the right thing

CENTER & ODISHA, ENVIRONMENT, Jagatsinghpur, POSCO, Steel Comments Off on POSCO non-approval approval; Odisha government should do the right thing

Update 2: The following excerpt from a report in Telegraph elaborates on the point where this may head to the courts.

Giving conditional clearance to the project, the Union environment and forests ministry had yesterday asked the state for an assurance that no one was so entitled. At stake is the final approval for the diversion of 1,253 hectares of forestland for the steel plant and its captive port.

Jagatsinghpur collector Narayan Jena today argued that no one met the criteria under which they could legitimately stake claim to any part of the forestland. This was challenged by the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, which is resisting the project.

Under the 2006 law, tribals can claim rights over forestland on which they are currently living or dependent for livelihood. According to the state government, no tribal lives in the project area.

However, the 2006 law also allows Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) to claim forest rights provided they satisfy three criteria. The claimants must:

• Have lived on the forestland for 75 years prior to December 13, 2005;

• Have been in occupation of the land before December 13, 2005;

• Be dependent on the forestland for their “bona fide” livelihood needs.

Collector Jena declined comment on the Union ministry’s riders since the official order is yet to be received, but tried to clear the air on the matter of forest rights.

He said the project area had been notified as protected forest area only in 1961 — so technically, no OTFD could claim to have lived in a “forest” there for 75 years. “Had there been tribals in the area, the situation would have been different. But no OTFD can claim such benefits because its forest status does not go back 75 years,” he said.

He conceded that the area was part of Burdwan estate before 1952, when there were reserve forests in Jatadhari and Bhuyanpal, which are part of the project area. But he insisted that the area was completely uninhabited now.

However, the Union tribal ministry says that claimants under the OTFD category do not have to prove they live on the forestland but only that they depend on it for their “bona fide” livelihood needs.

Jena countered this by alleging that claimants to land in the project area were encroachers, implying their claims about dependence for livelihood would be untenable.


Update: Following is from an editorial in Economic Times. I am in agreement with the observations there.

Environment minister Jairam Ramesh has passed the Posco buck, nominally to the government of Orissa but, in reality, to the courts. His final clearance of the project depends on a categorical assertion by the government of Orissa that there are no ‘other traditional forest dwellers’ among those whose land would be diverted for the project. … Now, if the government of Orissa does provide the Centre with the categorical assertion that it has sought on the nature of the people who would be displaced, it is inevitable that the villagers would go to court.

Whether the affected villagers are indeed people whom the Forest Rights Act seeks to protect is a matter of fact that would then be left to the courts to verify, beyond final challenge in the Supreme Court. This will take time. But a lengthy pilgrimage through the shrines of graded sanctity of Indian legality is not the only future open to Posco. The company can make a fresh, larger-hearted and better funded effort to win over the villagers whose lives and livelihoods would be disrupted by the project than the current one rejected by the villagers. People need certainty about their future incomes and occupations, and these would need to be superior to what they are asked to give up. This would not take much, given how the villagers eke out a living. But it does call for imagination, empathy and a willingness to engage directly with the villagers and not just with political and bureaucratic powerbrokers.

The state has to show its earnestness. At the same time, companies and their projects must respect, not bend, the people of India and their laws. The Posco decision sets the stage for companies to show how they are inclined.


While the news media is buzz with the conditional approval of POSCO by the environment ministry, the interview with NAC Chairperson NC Saxena elaborates on the nuance behind the approval. While I am not conversant with the detailed aspects of the law here, I hope the Odisha government follows the law of the land to the dot and makes sure that displaced as well as project affected people are adequately and properly compensated. At the same I hope people and groups who blindly oppose this focus their attention towards helping the project affected and displaced people.

Following are excerpts from a CNBC-TV18 interview of NC Saxena which spells out the nuances behind the non-approval approval.

Korean steel giant POSCO has welcomed the conditional approval, which comes three years after the plant was first envisaged. It says it will maintain 25% of the area allocated for the steel plant as green cover. As per the ministry’s conditions, POSCO says it will earmark 2% of its net India profits for its corporate social responsibility drive. It will also work on creating sustainable livelihood options for people affected by the project. POSCO adds that it plans to ensure conservation of land and marine environment at the site. However, member of the National Advisory Council or NAC, NC Saxena has said that the order should not be read as a clearance. Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Saxena said the Orissa government should recognise the rights of the people. The Orissa government’s rehabilitation package is very weak, he said. He however added that the package was not the concern of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

…Q: Finally a clearance being given to POSCO by the ministry of environment but you and your panel had said that there were several violations of the forest rights act by the Orissa government while the land acquisition had actually taken place. Now if I look at the order that’s been put out by the ministry of environment it clearly says that the final approval for diversion of 1253 hectares of forest land for the POSCO project would be granted as soon as there is an assurance from the state government to the ministry of finance that there is indeed no violation as far as other traditional forest dweller rights are concerned, how are you reading this?

A: Infact I don’t think it can be read as a clearance because if you see the order very carefully it very clearly says that there are conditions to be satisfied. For instance it says that there are 3 conditions. People have to be living there for the last three generations, people have to be in occupation since December 2005 and also they should depend on forest lands. Orissa government’s case was that occupation is also necessary for 3 generations which is not true.

So I am very happy that the minister has clarified that it is only living which is there for 3 generations. Minister has also clarified that these people who are forest dwellers they don’t have to claim their rights, its for the state government to recognize their rights, so therefore Orissa government if it is to stick to its own records would find it very difficult to declare that none of these condition are satisfied and I am sure that people will get justice.

Q: … so then how does one actually progress from here because the riders are going to be very difficult for the Orissa government to comply with?

A: The Orissa government should first of all recognize the rights of these people and grant the rights under the forest rights act, then they can acquire the land under the land acquisition law. I do not know why Orissa government is not willing to talk to the people. The other point is Orissa governments rehabilitation package is very weak.

They recognize rehabilitation only for those who are displaced. It should also recognize those who are affected so therefore a large number of people are losing their livelihoods, their incomes are being affected and they should also be compensated. Once you do that, if my income is Rs 5000 a month and Orissa government says I will give you Rs 10000 I am sure I will be very happy so that’s how Orissa government should deal with resentment.

Q: … this doesn’t really spell out what more needs to be done to strengthen the rehabilitation package?

A: Rehabilitation package is not the concern of the Ministry of Environment and Forest and therefore the minister has rightly not dealt with that issue but that is certainly an issue which the Orissa government and also the Ministry of Tribal affairs should be concerned with.

The ministries concern, the MoEF’s concern was only with the forest conservation act and the environmental protection act and therefore they have not commented but of you read Meena Gupta’s report and also the 3 members report they have dealt with this question in great detail and they have suggested how to strengthen and augment the whole rehabilitation package.

Q: … hence the uncertainty continues?

A: Infact yes I would say that uncertainty does not continue. Orissa government has been given a very clear order and they should comply with it …

So Orissa government should go ahead recognize their forest rights and then only think of further action. So therefore I think a very clear order has been given and it can be complied with. The project can also be completed provided Orissa government has a good rehabilitation package and observes all the laws specially the Forest Rights Act.

Work on five NH projects in Odisha – Bhubaneswar-Puri, Bhubaneswar-Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar-Chandikhole, Sambalpur-Bargarh and Remudi-Rajamunda (NH-215) to begin in February 2011

Angul, Bargarh, Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack- Kalinganagar, Bhubaneswar-Puri, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Khordha, National Highways, NH 215 (348 Kms: NH-5@Panikoli - Anandapur - Kendujhargarh -Rajamundra @NH-23), NH 5 (488 kms: NH No.6 in Jharkhand - Baripada - Baleshwar - Bhadrakh - Cuttack - Bhubaneswar - Khordha - Brahmapur - upto Andhra Pradesh Border), Puri, Sambalpur, Sambalpur-Burla-Jharsuguda 4 Comments »

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

The work on five major National Highway (NH) projects in the state- Bhubaneswar-Puri, Bhubaneswar-Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar-Chandikhole, Sambalpur-Bargarh and Remudi-Rajamunda (NH-215) will begin in February 2011. While work on four-laning of the Bhubaneswar-Puri NH is expected to be completed soon, the remaining projects will be commissioned within three years."The work on these NH projects will commence in February 2011 and the projects are expected to be commissioned within three years. The work is being taken up on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and the cost assessment will be made by NHAI. …

While work will be taken up for four-laning of Bhubaneswar-Puri (60 km) and Sambalpur-Bargarh (88-km) NHs, the Bhubaneswar-Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar-Chandikhole (62 km) highways will be six laned. As per the thumb rule Rs 4 crore will be spent per km on building these highways.

Demand for an ECOR rail division in Rourkela grows

Baripada - Bangiriposi (under constr.), Bhadrakh - Dhamara (port conn. planned), Buramara - Chakulia, CKP ... Bhalulata - Rourkela - Jharsuguda Jn - Daghora , ECOR, Jaleshwar-Digha, Rourkela - Biramitrapur, Rourkela- Kansbahal, Rupsa Jn - Baripada, Sundergarh 15 Comments »

Following is an excerpt from a report in expressbuzz.com.

How justified is the demand to carve out a separate railway division at Rourkela under the East Coast Railway (ECoR)? Given the continuing neglect towards the infrastructure and passenger amenities over decades, the demand is gaining momentum.

With apolitical and political outfits jumping on the bandwagon to seek separation of Rourkela from the Chakradharpur division of the South Eastern Railway (SER), the Railway Ministry is likely to feel the heat ahead.

Train Passenger Steering Committee convener and Rourkela Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Subrat Patnaik in tandem with the members of the Rourkela Development Forum (RDF) and Rourkela Railfanning Association (RRA) are vociferous in their demand. The local BJD unit has gone a step ahead to threaten disruption of mineral transportation by rail if the issue was not sorted out.

Locals feel, in the changed scenario, the triangular districts of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Keonjhar – high on industrial and mining activities – would no longer tolerate further neglect as Sundargarh alone annually contributes ` 800 crore to SER.

… Inadequate train services and infrastructure apart, the lingering of the proposed Bimlagarh-Talcher rail link is a stark pointer of neglect, they stated.

Even 10 per cent of the revenue generated from the regions is not spent to benefit a population of over 50 lakh.

RDF and RRA members Dilip Mohanty, Mahendra Mishra, Mihir Swain and Supratik Mishra sent a memorandum to the Railway Ministry over the demand claiming the combined revenue share from these three districts is anything over ` 2,200 crore.  …

The fact that there is an ECOR division in Sambalpur (147 kms from Rourkela) and Chakradharpur (101 kms from Rourkela) should not be a concern as there are many railway divisions that are much closer. In http://www.rourkelacity.com/top-news/rourkelare-rela-division/ it is mentioned that there are separate rail divisions in Varanasi and Mughalsarai that are only 17 kms apart, Guntur and Vijaywada that are 34 kms apart and so on. 

The petition at http://www.petitionodisha.in/transportation/creating-a-new-east-coast-railway-division-at-rourkela/ lists various reasons why a ECOR rail division in Rourkela is needed. Please visit it and sign it.


There is also a similar need for a railway division in Rayagada or Kesinga/Lanjigarh Rd/Bhawanipatna to cater to existing lines and to the many new lines that are coming up there. The new lines include Naupada-Gunupur and its extension to Therubali and Lanjigarh Rd – Junagarh and its extension to Nabarangpur and Jeypore.  With many people in Viskhapatnam demanding that the VSKP division be split from ECOR, if that happens the Odisha part of the current VSKP division as well the above mentioned new lines should be moved to the proposed division at  Rayagada or Kesinga/Lanjigarh Rd/Bhawanipatna.

In North Odisha with several new lines coming up (Bhadrakk – Dhamara, Chakulia – Buramara, Jaleswar – Digha, ) and with the commencement of broad gauge service in the Rupsa-Baripada-Bangiriposi line a new division in Balasore or Bhadrak is warranted. SER greatly meshed up the Rupsa-Baripada-Bangiriposi line costing Indian Railways significantly. See page 8-9 of 2006-may-CAG report. These parts should also be taken away from SER.