BHUBANESWAR: Miffed over inordinate delay in execution of the ambitious project for development of Bhubaneswar railway station as a world class multimodal hub in partnership with Odisha government, the Indian Railways has decided to go alone.
The general manager of East Coast Railway (ECoR) has urged the State government to revise the conditions laid down in the agreement signed in September 2019, so that the Railways can carry out its part of development work of the station.
As per the pact, the railway station’s development into a world class multimodal hub was to be taken up by Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and ECoR at a cost of Rs 910 crore. While the Railways was to spend around Rs 70 crore for adding two more tracks and one platform, the government was to construct the multimodal hub at an estimated Rs 840 crore under the Smart City project. The cost included Rs 8 crore for design by Singapore-based firm Surbana Jurong.
However, the move by the Railways to back out of the project came in the wake of slow progress of work on the part of the State. Even as the cost escalated to Rs 1,075 crore, no tangible progress has been made.
Initially planned in 2015, the project got the government’s nod in 2016. But it took three years to sign the MoU and absolutely no work has been done even after two years of the deal.
"As per the agreement, the hub was to be completed in 30 months, but no tender has been floated even after 24 months. Further delay would also lead to cost escalation and this is why we have decided to do the development of the railway portion on our own," said a senior railway official.
Sources said the Railways has undertaken redevelopment of several railway stations on its own during the period.
While Manduadih railway station in Uttar Pradesh has been revamped and renamed Banaras, Gandhinagar Central railway station was modernised like an airport. The projects, including redevelopment of Habibganj station in Bhopal and Rajendra Nagar in Patna are at various stages of execution.
Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra said the proposal of the ECoR to revise the MoU is under consideration of the government. "As the Railways want to develop the railway station part on their property and exclude it from the agreement, the MoU will be revised. The development outside the station will be done under the Smart City project," he clarified.