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Following is a short report from Telegraph.

Indian Railways has proposed a whopping Rs 251,000 crore investment in the 11th Five Year plan. The draft proposal to this effect has been submitted to the Planning Commission.

V. N. Mathur, member traffic of the Railway Board, said Rs 90,000 crore would come from internal accruals while about 29 per cent would be borrowed, including ECB.

Following is a relevant part from an interview in Hindu Businessline.

What about funding the plans?

We’ve submitted to the Planning Commission a Rs 251,000-crore proposal for implementation by the end of the Eleventh Plan. We’ve indicated mobilisation of Rs 90,000 crore from within and 29 per cent of the projected estimate by way of market borrowing. For the balance, we may have to approach the government for support. But then nothing has yet been finalised.

If the Indian government is going to pay such a huge portion it should insist that IR does not forget the backward areas of India.

Samaja has the following beautiful analysis which enumerates how because Orissa does not have the industries whose products will be used in making the new industrial plants in Orissa, Orissa loses out on lots of additional benefits that go to the already industrialized states. Hence, Orissa not only needs to set up these plants quickly, but also needs to go after the ancillaries with full force.

Hindu has a short report and a nice picture of the road near Fortune towers. (Thanks to Deba Nayak for the pointer.)

Following is an excerpt from Dharitri’s report on it.

Pioneer reports on some ambitious and expensive plans in this regard. Following are some excerpts.

… the Government is working on a proposal to construct the longest flyover of the State to overcome the increasing traffic jam.

The project named as Integrated Solution For All Junctions (ISFAJ) envisages building a flyover from Master Canteen Square to Sishu Bhawan Square – an estimated length of 1,100 metre.

Under the ISFAJ project, five major junctions such as Master Canteen Square, Raj Mahal Square, Kalpana Square, Sishu Bhawan Square and Airport Square will have integrated management to control traffic.

According to official sources, the detailed project report would be completed within four months. The PWD has estimated Rs 120 crore for the project, which would be completed within three years.

As per the proposal, Kalpana Square and Airport Square would have large rotary shape traffic points, which would provide commuters tension-free time to drive around. Moreover, the total road network between all the five junctions would have features such as parking space, cycle tracks and footpath.

The Works Department would also embark on converting the road stretch from Airport Square to Damna Square to six-lane road for which Rs 80 crore had been earmarked.

The Khandagiri road connecting Chandaka road would be closed for archeological reasons and periphery road development programme around the Khandagiri hill as an alternative arrangement for blocking of road.

Besides, construction of three more flyovers on railway junctions besides an ongoing project Poonama Gate.

Hindu reports on this. Following are some excerpts.

A sum of Rs. 2 crores has been sanctioned for the development and modernisation of the Berhampur railway station, Divisional Manager of the East Coast Railways P.K. Srivastav has said. Keeping its colonial architecture intact, work is on to add structures
to the existing station and to beautify it.

Speaking to newsmen, Mr. Srivastav said to expand the station premises, the goods shed by the side of platform number three was shifted to Jagannathpur. A fourth platform would be added in place of the goods shed. The new platform and the continuing work on the second foot overbridge at the railway station were expected to be completed by2008. As per the new plans, the Berhampur railway station would have two entry gates in a bid to reduce rush at the main gate.

Following is a picture of the station that appeared in Today’s Samaja.

Reader R. P. Tripathy sent us the following item. Thanks.

Railway Reservation Facility has been introduced in Phulbani and Sundargarh District Post Offices. Earlier a person from Phulbani used to travel to Berhampur or BBSR for railway reservation and it will be a big respite for those people as the travelling expenses were much higher than the railway ticket itself. http://www.odisha.com/20070801/fullstory/train%20ticket.html

The Hindu reports that environmental clearance has been granted to POSCO steel plant. POSCO has earmarked 1,525 crores for environmental pollution control as per the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) as well as the state government conditions. Excerpts:

“The Ministry of Environment and Forests has given the environmental clearance for Posco’s mega steel project at Kujang near Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district of Orissa,” highly-placed official sources said.The Korean steel giant had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Orissa government in June 2005 pledging an investment of Rs 52,000 crore for setting up the plant.

“The project authorities shall utilise Rs 1,525 crore earmarked for environmental pollution control measures judiciously to implement the conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) as well as the state government. The funds so provided shall not be diverted for any other purpose,” a source quoted the Environment and Forests Ministry as saying, while granting clearance.

The clearance has been granted to the world’s third largest steel manufacturer for installing furnaces using FINEX technology only and on the condition that gaseous emissions from its various units should strictly conform to load/mass based standards notified by the government.

Earlier in April, the MOEF had granted its approval under Coastal Regulation Zone to the Korean steel giant’s proposal to set up a captive port at Jatadhari at a cost of Rs 17,113 crore.”

The 2004 Railway budget talked about “Remote Area Rail Sampark Yojana” which would have finished projects like Khurda Rd – Balangir in 5 years. However, it seems to have been forgotton by the UPA govt. and Lalu Yadav. Today, Rediff has a small report on it. I think Orissa should get together with the other states that are part of it (West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh) and demand that this program be revived. Following are excerpts from the 2004 Rail budget that talks about this program.

Remote Area Rail Sampark Yojana

• 35. Railways have a large shelf of over 230 projects worth about Rs. 43,000 cr, for construction of New Lines, Gauge Conversion, Doubling, Electrification and Metropolitan Transport Projects. Even with the enhanced budgetary support, non-budgetary initiatives under National Rail Vikas Yojana and other cost sharing mechanisms apart from Defence funding of some projects of strategic importance, there will still be projects valuing Rs. 20,000 cr which would remain unfinished even after the next five years. A large number of these have been sanctioned on socio economic considerations with the intention of connecting remote and backward areas with the rail network. However their progress is very slow on account of inadequate funding, which causes dissatisfaction. Connecting these areas with the rail network will facilitate the economic and social development of these areas and will provide major employment opportunities during construction and thereafter. Keeping these factors in mind, it has been decided to speed up the execution and completion of these projects also in the next five years. I am happy to inform the House that this would be done through an ambitious ‘Remote Area Rail Sampark Yojana’, with an additional outlay of Rs. 20,000 crore.
• 37. This decision to accelerate the completion of all projects in five years is expected, on a broad estimate, to provide yearly employment to about 3 lakh persons during the construction period. Once opened for traffic, these lines would also require about 18000 persons per year for normal maintenance and operations, on incremental basis. Apart from this, it is expected that there will be scope for indirect employment of nearly 55000 persons per year. The ‘Remote Area Rail Sampark Yojana’ will go a long way in changing the economic and social scenario of the remote and backward regions of the country and bringing the people of these areas into the mainstream. Further, the demand for steel, cement, rolling stock, fittings, components, plant and machinery will also be generated, boosting the economic growth of the entire country.

Business standard reports that some of the betel cultivators have accepted POSCO’s compensation for these Betel farms.

Also, It must be noted, that these Betel cultivation was being done in Govt. enroached land. Currently out of 4004 acres required by POSCO, 3567 acres is Govt. land and 438 acres is pvt. land.

Excerpts:

In a major breakthrough in the imbroglio over land acquisition for Posco’s 12-million-tonne steel project near Paradip in Orissa, betel cultivators at Nuagaon village, within the project site, have dismantled their vineyards in lieu of compensation.

According to sources, four betel farm owners have accepted compensation to the tune of Rs 4.8 lakh, while 20 more who had surrendered their claim on betel vineyards are expected to be paid around Rs 15 lakh in a couple of days.

The farmers are being paid according to the rate fixed by the state government. Company sources said they had received about 200 applications from local farmers for payment of compensation for the surrender of their claim.

These were being verified and would be cleared in a phased manner, they added.

It may be noted that betel leaves are mostly cultivated over encroached government land in the proposed Posco plant area. There are about 1,600 betel farms in Nuagaon alone.

Posco required for its plant 4004 acres of land in three grampanchayats, namely Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Gada Kujanga. Of this, 3567 acres is government land and 437 acres is private land. Most of the government land, however, is encroached upon by betel cultivators.

It may be noted that about 3,000 people working at the betel farms in Gadakujanga, Dhinkia and Nuagaon are among the most vocal opponents of the project as they fear loss of employment.

They have become soft targets for anti-Posco agitators. Keeping this in mind, the state government is framing a separate package for these workers, in addition to the existing rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) policy formulated last year.

According to state Chief Secretary Ajit Tripathy, the stalemate over land acquisition is gradually giving way and people in the site area are coming out in support of the project.

Odisha.com reports that South Eastern Railway will start passenger carrying train between Keonjhar and Tata from August 15th. Some of the stations between Keonjhar and Tata are Keonjhargarh(98)- Goaldih(109)- Porjanpur(116)- Nayagarh(130)- Jaroli(146)- Bansapani (155)-Murg Mahadev Rd(164)-Deojhar(167)-Padapahar (183)- Dangoaposi(188) – Maluka(198)- Kendposi(208)- Talaburu(217)-Jhinkpani(226)-Singhpokharia(235) –Chaibasa (242)-Pandrasali(250)-Rajkharswan(262) (between Chakradharpur and Tata) … Tata (304). Currently a Janshatabdi runs from Howrha to Tata to Barbil via Padapahar. So the proposed new train will newly connect people with access to stations in between Keonjhar and Padapahar to Tata and the rest of the world.

Following is Dharitri’s report on it.

The Economic Times reports that Dhamara port is expected to be operational in 2010. Following are some excerpts from that report.

The first phase of construction of the Rs 2,400-crore Dhamra port project in Orissa, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Steel and L&T, would be completed by March 2010, a company official said on Tuesday.

“We will complete the first phase of the port by 2010 which will be capable of handling 25 million tons of cargo,” Dhamra Port Company Ltd CEO Santosh K Mohapatra said here on the sidelines of a CII Logistics seminar. …

The port, which aims to serve industries in Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh, would initially deal with bulk cargo like coal, iron-ore and steel.

In the first phase, two berths would be constructed capable of handling 25 million tons cargo. The capacity could be scaled upto 85 million tons with a total of 13 berths.

The port, when completed, would be the deepest one in eastern India with an 18-metre draught capable of handling super size vessels with capacity of up to 1,80,000 tons.

A new railway track to Dhamra may be built for movement of cargo to the port. Of the proposed 62 km of railway track, land acquisition for 52 km of track has already been completed.

Telegraph also reports on it and mentions that Dhamara port may try to become an SEZ. Following are some excerpts from the Telegraph report.

The Dhamra port in Orissa is exploring the option of turning itself into a special economic zone (SEZ).

The 50:50 joint venture between Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is coming up on a 900-acre plot on the Orissa coast. Dhamra Port Company Ltd (DPCL) plans to develop two berths, at an investment of Rs 2,400 crore, to handle bulk cargo such as coal and iron ore.

Santosh K. Mohapatra, chief executive officer of the company, said contractors had been appointed and orders placed for the project.

“We hope to complete the first phase, capable of handling 25 million tonnes of cargo, by April 2010,” he said.

Asked if the company planned to seek SEZ status, he said such an idea was being considered. …

To begin with, the Dhamra port will handle raw materials for steel plants coming up in Kalinganagar and in nearby areas. Tata Steel itself is building a 6mt plant at Kalinganagar. “Later we may consider to have port-based industries there,” Mohapatra said.

Eventually the Dhamra port will be equipped to handle 85mt cargo capacity with 13 berths.

Tata Steel and L&T are contributing Rs 250 crore each as equity for the project, while the remaining Rs 1,900 crore will be raised as debt from eight banks led by IDBI.

The company will also build a 62km rail track from the port to Bhadrak, which will connect with the Howrah-Chennai trunk route. The company will require 2,200 acres for that, taking the total land requirement of the whole project to 3,100 acres.

Following is Sambada’s report on this.

Samaja reports on this. Tathya.in also has an article on this. Following is from Samaja.

Following is Dharitri’s report on this.

Following is ECOR’s press release (dated July 19 2007) on this.

East Coast Railway has increased its freight loading and passenger carrying during the first quarter of the current financial year i.e. from Apr ’07 to June’07 and earned Rs.1266.86 Crores in originating basis during this period which is Rs.179.68 crores more than the corresponding period of last year.

ECoR has loaded 21.81 million tonnes of freight by registering an increase of 8.88% more in loading than the corresponding period of last financial year and has earned Rs.1115.66 Crores from this by registering an increase of 16.04% more revenue as compared to last financial year.

On passenger front, ECoR has carried 14.49 million of passengers by registering an increase of 11.37% more than the corresponding period of last financial year and has earned Rs.131.48 Crores by registering an increase of 20.46% more than the previous year.

ECoR has earned total revenue of Rs.1266.86 Crores from the first quarter of the current financial year registering an increase of 16.52% from the last financial year.  It may be mentioned that, during the period of last financial year, ECoR earned Rs.1087.18 crores from passengers, freight, and other business operations.

The coastal highway is proposed to run along the coast from Gopalpur to Digha. Tathya.in reports on attempts to revive the proposal.

People Daily online reports that a MOU was signed for improving tourism across multiple tourist desitinations in India and Malyasia.

Bhubaneswar was listed as one of the potential destinations for flight connectivity. This might in Future lead to International flights in Bhubaneswar airport.

Excerpts

“It was further decided that the designated airlines of both sides could operate any number of services to/from 18 tourist destinations in India: Patna, Lucknow, Guwahati, Gaya, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Khajuraho, Aurangabad, Goa, Jaipur, Port Blair, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram Kozhikode, Amritsar, Visakhapatnam, Ahmedabad and Tiruchirapalli.”

Kalingatimes reports that Posco is definitely interested in the Orissa project.
Excerpts of the Article below

… The latest statement from the authorities of POSCO-India makes it clear that they were here to stay – to pursue their 12 million tonne per annum capacity steel mill project in Jagatsinghpur district.

…, the company has said in a statement that it was `confident, determined and committed’ to make its Orissa steel project happen. …

But the company has said that as per its human resource plan, overseas staff deployment in POSCO-India project was purely need based.

“Staff deployment is in relation to specific assignments and the employee moves with the changes in assignment. Accordingly, when the construction phase begins, there would be reallocation of staff from overseas in large number,” a statement from the company said.

Although there had been undue delay in the implementation of the project due to non-acquisition of land for the proposed steel plant, the company has announced it was hopeful of starting ground leveling work by December this year.

“The company is further encouraged by the support extended by Government of Orissa as well as Government of India for expediting the project,’ the statement said.

“Going by the recent developments, the company is happy to note that there is a greater understanding and wider consensus in favor of the project building up at all levels, notably among people in the project site.” …

If official sources are to be believed, … POSCO authorities were ready to wait for several more years to implement the project.

“The main worry of POSCO-India authorities would be over the day they were granted prospecting licence for the Khandadhar iron ore mines by the Central government.

As regards the people’s opposition to displacement by the proposed steel plant in Jagatsinghpur as well as the move to grant of prospecting licence to the company for Khandadhar mines, sources said that POSCO was used to such resistance.

“They are hopeful that things will slowly start changing and the opposition will lose strength in due course,” a senior government official observed.

Rehabilitation process begins

Meanwhile, the company, in association with the district administration, has started the process for rehabilitating 48 families that had left Patna village under Dhinkia panchayat of Jagatsinghpur following their differences with those who were against the setting up of the steel plant in their locality.

The company was hopeful that a transit camp for the 48 families would come up within four weeks. Simultaneously, efforts were being made to select a site for constructing a full-fledged rehabilitation colony for these families.

A company official said that once the habilitation colony was set up it would attract people from the camp that was opposed to the project.

The families which had come out of their villages on their own and were supporting the project would be given rehabilitation benefits under the provisions of the existing Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy of the State.

Going by the company’s stand, it appears clear that they might start thinking in terms of packing their bags only if the both the Central Government and the State Government expressed their unwillingness to extend help. But going by the eagerness on the part of both the governments to help POSCO-India, such a situation was unlikely to emerge in the next few years. After all, POSCO-India’s steel project still continues to carry the tag of biggest ever foreign direct investment in the country.

This sounds like a good reinforcement of it’s commitment to the Orissa project.

Business standard reports on this. Following are some excerpts.

After low-cost airlines, it is the turn of no-frill and low-cost airports. In a bid to encourage regional airlines and provide air links to small cities and towns, nearly 25 greenfield or unutilised airport projects have been identified by various states, which will be up for bidding by the private sector. …

A no-frill airport is built at a minimum cost and allows operation of small jets as well as slightly bigger aircraft like Boeing’s B737 or Airbus’ A320. The investment in such an airport could range from Rs 40 crore to Rs 100 crore. …

The places identified for the purpose include Hassan, Shimoga, Gulbarga, Bidar, Mysore (all in Karnataka), Shirdi, Jalgaon, Solapur, Akola (all in Maharashtra), Kannur (Kerala), Madurai, Tiruchirapalli (Tamil Nadu), Rupsi (Assam), Ajmer, Mount Abu, Kailashar (Rajasthan), Behala, Cooch Behar, Malda (West Bengal), Jharsuguda(Orissa), Muzaffurpur (Bihar), Kamalpur (Tripura) and Passighat (Arunachal Pradesh). …

A budget airline executive said, “A low-cost airport can be constructed at a cost of Rs 100 crore, including land cost. Such an airport can increase its revenue through retail outlets, entertainment sources and hospitality projects.” …

A government official said the airports could act as operational bases of regional airlines. “The identification of regional hubs could be made on the basis of origin-destination surveys, traffic demand and the requirements of airlines,” he added.

Tathya.in reports on this. It seems initial steps have been taken, Air Deecan is very much interested, and just some snags need to be sorted out before scheduled flights can commence. One major snag is that the airstrip in Rourkela, is labeled as “private”. It must be labeled as “public” before scheduled flights can commence. To expedite the removal of the snags, one may do the following:

• Send mail to Rourkela Steel Plant MD Mr. B. N. Singh at rkl_mdsecrsp@sancharnet.com (or call him at 2510018) requesting him to request the Director General Civil aviation (DGCA) to change the status of the SAIL built Rourkela airstrip from “private” to “public”.
• Send mail to CMO office (cmo@ori.nic.in) requesting him to make all out efforts for bringing Rourkela under air connectivity at the earliest.
• Thank the DM of Sundergarh (Mr. Krishan Kumar), who was ADM Rourkela before, for his efforts on this and request him to keep pushing until it is done. He can be reached by email at dmsng@ori.nic.in.
• Tell  like minded friends about this and request them to do the above.