BHUBANESWAR: An allocation of Rs 5,252 crore has been made in the Railway Budget of 2018-19 for Odisha with an emphasis on completion of ongoing projects. The State Government had placed a demand for allocation of Rs 6,500 crore. Though the increase in allocation this year is marginal compared to Rs 5,102 crore in 2017-18, provision for several key ongoing projects including the Khurda Road-Balangir railway line has been given priority.
General Manager of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) Umesh Singh said allocation for Odisha is likely to increase to Rs 6,000 crore as details are yet to be calculated. He said electrification of railway lines has received priority in this year’s budget. “Railway tracks in the entire ECoR will be electrified and there will not be a single km without electrification,” he said.
Singh said allocations for the ongoing projects include Rs 625 crore for Khurda Road-Balangir railway line against Rs 200 crore last year, Rs 300 crore for Talcher-Bimalagarh against Rs 250 crore in 2017-18, Rs 200 crore each for Angul-Sukinda Road and Haridaspur-Paradeep, Rs 95 crore for Jeypore-Malkangiri and Rs 150 crore for Jeypore-Nawarangpur railway line.
The ongoing doubling of railway lines has received Rs 976.71 crore with a provision of Rs 379 crore for Vizianagaram-Sambalpur third line, Rs 220 crore each for Budapank-Salegaon (third and fourth line) and Sambalpur-Talcher railway line, Rs 120 crore for Jharapada-Budapank (third and fourth line), Rs 110 crore for Koraput-Singapore railway line and Rs 80 crore for Banspani-Daitari-Tomka-Jakhapura line.
The other projects announced for Odisha in the budget include Rs 9.67 crore for augmentation of Angul electric loco shed from 100 AC locos to 150, Rs 10.74 crore for freight train maintenance facility at Maneswar and Rs 26 lakh for setting up electric loco workshop in Kalahandi district. Reconnaissance engineering-cum-traffic survey for new line between Talcher-Gopalpur has been announced. Besides, survey for two flyovers at Baghuapal and Singapore Road has also been announced.
Singh said project worth Rs 215 crore has been sanctioned for development of Bhubaneswar and New Bhubaneswar railway stations to divert trains. The project includes a link line between Mancheswar and New Bhubaneswar railway station and construction of a platform in the old Bhubaneswar station. Besides, Rs 100 crore has been allocated for development of railway stations in Odisha. As it is a lump sum allocation, all stations in the State will witness some development work, he said.
Besides, for the first time, train management system will be introduced in Khurda railway division for which an allocation of Rs 31 crore has been made, Singh said and added that the system will be implemented from the Khurda railway station. The project will cover all 99 railway stations in the Khurda division. Other allocations in the budget include Rs 16 crore for LHB coach maintenance facility at Mancheswar, Rs 300 crore for construction of foot over bridges (FOB) including two six meter wide FOBs at Bhubaneswar and Bhadrak railway stations and Rs 190 crore for road over bridges (ROBs).However, low expenditure of funds provided in budgets remained a cause of concern. Out of a provision of Rs 5,102 crore in 2017-18, only Rs 2,600 crore has been spent so far. The expenditure is likely to touch Rs 3,500 crore by March-end, Singh said.