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Following is excerpted from a report in tathya.in.

The proposed corridors are:

• Corridor I is planned between Rasulgarh to Samantarapur via Central Jail Road Junction, Kalpana Square, Museum Square and Ravi Talkies Square.
• Corridor II will be covering Biju Patnaik Airport to Kalinga Hospital via AG Square, Raj Bhawan, Power House Square and Jaydev Vihar Square.
• Kalpana Square to KIIT Square will be covered by Corridor III.
• Corridor IV will begin from Head of the Building to Baramunda Bus Stand via Stewart School and CRP Square.
• Baramunda Bus Stand to Tamndo will be connected with Corridor V.
• Corridor VI will be connecting to Khandagiri to IIIT via CET.
• Corridor VII will be covering Raj Mahal-Master Canteen (Bhubaneswar Station)-Utkal University.

I hope Corridor III goes via Secretariate, Regional College, Acharya Vihar, Institute of Physics as that segment is not covered by any other corridors.

They are:

• 165 km long Sambalpur-Rourkela to be made 4 lanes at a cost of 1340 crores.
• 42.5 km long Koira-Lahunipada (Sundergarh district) at the cost of 217 crores.
• 18.6 km long Joda-Bamaberi at the cost of 188 crores.
• 70 km long four lane Rd bypass of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack comprising of Khuntuni- Chaarbatia- Nuapatana- Ghantikhal- Athagara- Anshupa- Dampara- Talabasta- Haldia- NH5@Kuradmal to be made at the cost of 400 crores.

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.

Pragativadi reported that land acquisition for Talcher Bimalagarh railway line is delaying the project.

Following is a an excerpt from a report in Steelguru.

Exim News Service reported that three port projects at Inchudi, Bahabalpur and Chandipur in north Orissa are awaiting a green signal from the union defense ministry.

Mr Jayanarayana Mishra transport & commerce minister of Orissa said that the state government is scouting for ways to avoid the restricted areas while going ahead with the port projects. He added that the state government would study the recommendations made by IIT, Chennai, on how to avoid restricted sites and develop the ports at places earlier identified by it.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer.

The State Government has decided to build an inland water transport network in the State. All the rivers would be connected with the sea routes.

A decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after IIT, Chennai presented a report to this effect to the State Government.

Patnaik directed the Commerce and Transport Department to prepare a Master Plan to develop the inland water system. In order to develop the inland water transport system, the State Government would spend Rs 1,500 crore in the first phase.

In its report, the IIT has stated that Orissa requires about 15 to 20 ports in the State in the coming years. The ports could be set up in the long coast line of 480 km.

By 2017, the State’s transportation of materials through sea routes would reach to a capacity of 300 million tonne per annum from a meager 60 million tone. It was decided in the meeting that Government would formulate a new policy on development of commerce through seas.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

Aditya Birla Group, one of the largest business houses of the country having interests in sectors like aluminium, telecom, cement, textiles, fertiliser, mining, retail, finance and insurance plans to invest about Rs 75,000 – 80,000 crore in Orissa.

The proposed amount will be invested in sectors like aluminium,cement, telecom and retail sectors in the state over next few years.

… Birla, who was here to discuss some project related issues with the Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, the company also intends to launch its retail business in Orissa as part of its national roll out plan. It will be launched within the next 6 months.

… Stating that the projects are proceeding well, he said, the company is committed to a lot of social work like setting up ITIs and health centres at the project sites.

… Regarding the resistance of the local people to the alumina refinery project Utkal Alumina at Raygada, the group chairman said, a lot of projects are facing the same problem. The company has sought the state government’s intervention in resolving the issue.

He said, ABG took over the company four years ago from Alcan Inc and the company has complied with the rehabilitation and resettlemnet (R& R) package given to it. He, however, was non-commital about any additional package for the project affected people.

" We can not commit on the new package. As long as there is reasonable settlement we will be happy", he pointed out.

Regarding the possibility of investing in the port sector of the state, Birla said, the company is persuing the matter with the Orissa government and is expecting a positive outcome.

It may be noted, Essel Mining, a group company of the ABG had earlier proposed the state government to set up a port at Chudamani. However, the state government had not accepted its proposal.

The major projects of the group in Orissa include Utkal Alumina refinery at Raygada, Hindalco’s alumina smelter and power plant at Sambalpur and 3.5 million tonne per annum cement plant in Sundergarh district.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

The Planning Commission today suggested the Orissa government to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for three projects for availing of assistance under the viability gap funding (VGF) of the Centre.

These three projects are Rs 3200 crore Samuka Special Tourism Project, Rs 1500 crore Sambalpur-Rourkela road project and the Rs 1500 crore worth Bhubaneswar Solid Waste Management Project.These projects worth about Rs 6200 crore will be implemented on a pilot basis.

"A new format has been developed for availing of the assistance from VGF and the Orissa government will have to prepare a DPR keeping in view the new format and submit it to the Planning Commission", Subash Pani, secretary, Planning Commission said.

After reviewing the projects taken up in the Public-Private-Partnership ( PPP) mode by the Orissa government, Pani told media persons that the Centre can provide upto 20 percent of the project cost under the VGF. So the state government can take advantage of it.

He said, the Centre introduced the VGF last fiscal and no state has availed of the assistance from this fund created with the objective of bridging the gap in funding viable projects taken up in PPP mode.

Pani said, the Orissa government plans to execute 35 important infrastructure projects in PPP mode. While 25 projects are in the pipeline, 10 projects are on going.

The on-going projects include Rs 68 crore Palasapanga- Bamberi road, Gopalpur port, Dhamra Port, Rs 480 crore international convention centre, Rs 146 crore IT and Corporate Tower (Bhubaneswar), Rs 500 crore Info Park(Bhubaneswar), Rs 35.67 crore Knowledge park, Rs 352 crore SEZ-BPO at Mancheswar, Rs 76 crore Commercial and IT Complex at Rourkela.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to slow down the process of awarding contracts for new highway projects. This would further delay the process of modernisation and expansion of the national highways by a few months.

The slowdown has happened following a writ petition filed by the National Highway Builders Federation (NBHF) in the Delhi High Court, challenging the new Model Concession Agreement (MCA) introduced by the finance ministry. The agreement restricts pre-qualified bidders from participating in the final bidding process.

The NHAI has already invited pre-qualification applications for around nine projects worth Rs 6,700 crore, but is yet to award the final contracts.

Major projects include four laning of the Hyderabad-Vijayawada section on NH-9 in Andhra Pradesh at a cost of about Rs 1,460 crore, four laning of the Panikoili-Keonjhar-Rimuli section on NH-215 in Orissa at a cost of Rs 1,086 crore, and four laning of the Chandikhole- Dubari-Talcher section on NH-200 in Orissa.

The NHAI has also invited pre-qualification applications for around 27 projects worth Rs 30,000 crore, which will be submitted by June.

Following is a news item in Sambada about IL & FS meeting Orissa government on Inchudi port in Balasore.

Following is from Sambada:

Following is from Samaja:

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

Taking into consideration the growing demand for an airport at Jharsuguda, the Union government has decided to renovate the existing one …

The government has decided to opt for a public-private partnership for the work. SREI, a Calcutta-based finance company, has expressed interest and is negotiating with the government in this regard, sources said. “No final decision has been taken. A confirmation has been sought from Airport Authority of India. Their decision will be final,” said works secretary S.K. Ray.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Hindu.

The Indian Railways on Monday finally spelt out its plan of action to bring the Khurda-Bolangir new broad gauge line, which was sanctioned 13 years ago, back on track here.

Addressing a press conference, Chairman of Railway Board Kalyan Coomar Jena said the Orissa government had been approached to provide land required for the 290-kilometre-long stretch Khurda-Bolangir line free of cost.

Moreover, funds available in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) with the State should be diverted to take up earthwork needed for laying the new line, Mr. Jena said.

“If the state government responds positively to our idea, the Khurda-Bolangir project would move much faster,” Mr. Jena said.

… The proposed Khurda-Bolangir line is a vital railway link, which would connect coastal Orissa with the western part. Though people had started demanding the railway link more than two decades ago, it was sanctioned in the year 1994-1995.

The projected cost of the project has now reached Rs. 1,000 crore.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) said 52 per cent of cumulative physical progress had been achieved while work was in progress up to 36 km distance. Till March 2007, only Rs. 67.83 crore had been spent on the project.

The Indian Railways also sought the State government’s cooperation on land acquisition for the Puri-Konark railway link. 

Sharing the progress on the proposed world-class railway station at Bhubaneswar, Mr. Jena said the railway was scouting for suitable land for the project.

He said Chinese expertise had been sought to prepare concept of the station, which would require at least 200 acres of land.

Subsequently, an expression of interest would be floated inviting interested firms to execute the project.

A high-level Chinese railway delegation headed by W.U. Wei, Director of Sino-India Railway Co-operation Working Group along with 12 members had visited the city for conducting a survey for developing a world class station here.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Kalinga Times.

… Jena said the gauge conversion of 90 km Naupada-Gunupur would be completed during the current fiscal.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

RITES, a central government enterprise and consultancy organisation working in transport, infrastructure and related sectors, has planned the introduce “mass rapid transit system” in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack at an estimated cost of Rs 2,246 crore.

Disclosing this at a Bhubaneswar seminar on traffic status today, transport secretary Priyabrata Patnaik conceded that the Union ministry of urban development is considering the proposal.

If the RITES plan gets the Centre’s nod, it will be implemented within five years and is expected to take care of the traffic problem of the twin cities, Patnaik added.

He said RITES had formulated the plan keeping in mind the demands of the two city’s projected population of 40 lakh by 2031.

The mass rapid transit system will include a light, monorail system in Cuttack stretching from Bidanasi to Central Rice Research Institute and a high-capacity bus system for both the cities.

These buses will run between vantagepoints in both Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

Police commissioner B.K. Behera said the traffic police wing has identified as many as 73 parking places across Bhubaneswar. Once these parking spaces are complete, the problem of traffic congestion on the arterial roads would be reduced considerably, he added.

… On the crowded Rajmahal Junction, an eight-lane road is being planned. The tender for the project will be floated within a month, said the chief engineer. Director of estates P.K. Mohanty said 30 vending zones had been created across the city to prevent roadside vending which leads to traffic congestion.

Vice-chairman of Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) N.B. Dhal said his organisation would be bringing out a new building norm for high-rises, which would earmark 60 per cent of floor area as mandatory parking space.

BDA is also planning a satellite city on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on a public-private partnership mode, which will also ease traffic load on the main city.

Following is an excerpt from a news report in Economic Times.

CUTTACK: Chairman of Railway Board K C Jena on Sunday inaugurated the wi-fi facility at the railway station here to enable passengers pursue their professional and personal activities even during travel.

Any passenger could access the internet at the station with the help of a wi-fi enabled laptop and use credit card of any bank for online booking, he said.

Jena said the facility, introduced for the first time in the East-Coast Railway division, would help the bonafide passengers to enjoy wireless broadband access, access to reservation system, check e-mail and surf net at platforms while travelling.

The facility, provided by M/s Railtel, was currently available in 53 stations across the country.

In the near future, Bhubaneswar, Puri and Visakhapatnam stations would get the facility, railway sources said.

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

The ambitious plan of railways to set up about 100 budget hotels across the country, popularly known as Rail Ratna, has finally got a nod from the Railway Board. Twenty-two of these budget hotels are to be built in the first phase of work which is likely to be taken up soon.

… According to Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) director Vinod Asthana, it has been decided to commercially exploit the vacant land of railways across the country. The ambitious budget hotel plan will yield good revenue to railways. IRCTC will go ahead with the plan as approved for the first phase of work, he said.

IRCTC MD Nalin Singhale said the proposed budget hotels will be built and developed on public-private partnership basis with a view to promoting tourism and providing full comfort to tourists.

IRCTC has already selected important places where these budget hotels are to be built. These places are Delhi, Varanasi, Ajmer, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Allahabad, Darjeeling, Sealdah, Lucknow, Mysore, Mumbai, Ooty, Puri, Amritsar, Shimla, Ujjain, Udaipur, Chandigarh, Kanyakumari, Pune, Nagpur and Agra, he said …

… According to sources, the budget hotel project is likely to yield about Rs 4,000 crore annually to railways on its completion. These hotels will be built on thousands of hectares of the vacant land leased out by the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA). Railways have roped in reputed companies of the country to invest in such an ambitious project. Tenders have been finalised and awarded to successful bidders at 20 locations at the country level, sources said.

As per the approved plan, each budget hotel is to be developed on the pattern of plush hotels equipped with all modern facilities. IRCTC has already formulated policies with regard to budget hotels, a Railway Board official said.

… Sources said Railway Board is yet to approve the tariff for each room of the proposed budget hotels. Railways are likely to fix Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 for each plush room of such hotels per night. IRCTC proposes to provide its own quality catering services in these budget hotels.