Red-hit districts: Odisha govt, rail ministry to sign MoU

BHUBANESWAR: The state government and railway ministry would soon form a joint venture for expansion of railway networks in Maoist-affected Nabarangapur and Malkangiri districts on cost sharing basis.
According to sources, the state government and railway ministry would sign a MoU within two weeks for development of Jeypore-Malkangiri and Jeypore-Nabarangapur railway projects, which were sanctioned in 2016-17 railway budget.Exact date for the MoU has not been decided so far.
“The state government has already communicated to the Centre to bear 50 per cent project cost for Jeypore –Nabarangapur project and 25 per cent project cost for Jeypore-Malkangiri project. We would also provide land free of cost for the Nabarangapur project,” said commerce and transport minister Ramesh Majhi after a review meeting by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
Though exact cost of the project is yet to be ascertained, the Centre allocated a token amount for both the projects in 2016-17 railway budget. The project would be developed in line with Khurda Road-Balangir rail project where the state government sanctioned land free of cost and announced to bear 50 per cent project cost. The project is targeted to be commissioned by March 2021.
Majhi said according to its promise in the election manifesto, the state government is continuously in touch with the Union railway ministry for expansion of railway network to seven unconnected districts—Nayagarh, Nabarangapur, Malkangiri, Boudh, Kandhamal, Kendrapda and Deogarh.
The Khurda Road-Balangir rail line, which is also being developed on cost sharing basis, has been extended up to Rajsunakhela in Nayagarh district. It will connect Boudh district by 2018-19.
“The Berhampur-Sambalpur link project, sanctioned in 2016-17 rail budget, would touch Kandhamal district,” Majhi added.
According to sources, the chief minister asked the commerce and transport minister for timely completion of long pending projects like Haridaspur-Paradip line that would connect Kendrapada district and Talcher-Bimalagarh that would pass through Deogarh district.
While the 82 km- Haridaspur-Paradip is pending since 1996-97, the 154 km-long Talcher-Bimalagarh project was sanctioned in 2004-05.
Earlier, the state government and railway ministry joined hand for taking up railway projects in coal-bearing areas to ensure easy transportation of coal.