ROURKELA: The decision of the Railways not to include the Rourkela railway station in the list of 90 stations proposed to be redeveloped as world-class transit hubs has come as a shock and dismay for the residents of the Rourkela Smart City.
Resentment is brewing against the Railways as Rourkela city in Sundargarh Lok Sabha Constituency of Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram is a major revenue contributor to South Eastern Railway (SER). Located on the busy Howrah-Mumbai rail line, Rourkela with strategic railway facilities, holds enormous commercial interests for SER.
Social activist and General Secretary of Udbhava, a forum for integrated development and mass awareness, VP Tiwari, recently sent a letter to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal describing it as another instance of Railways’ neglect of Rourkela. He expressed surprise that Sambalpur city and Jharsuguda town, whose combined population is less than Rourkela, have been chosen. Tiwari said it looks bizarre that the A category Rourkela station is ignored, while mentioning that the city, with combined cosmopolitan population of above 5.50 lakh, is the third largest city in Odisha and is considered Odisha’s industrial capital for enormous manufacturing activities.
Criticising Railways’ whimsical ways, Tiwari pointed out that four years ago, nine Multi Functional Complexes (MFCs) were awarded at nine stations in Odisha and Rourkela was excluded. During 2016, the MFC at Banspani in Keonjhar district was completed, but is of no use due to lack of commercial feasibility.
A delegation of Rourkela District Congress Committee (RDCC), led by president Biren Senapati, on Monday sent a memorandum to the Railway Minister through local SER authorities.
Senapati said the Railways has the country’s largest marshalling yard along with two Loco Sheds at Bondamunda of Rourkela and Rourkela station daily witnesses about 30,000 footfalls. Senapati criticised Oram for failing to include Rourkela in the list of world-class stations and flayed Odisha Government for not recommending Rourkela.
Rail Users’ Association General Secretary AC Baral said both the Railways’ the State Government are responsible for it.
If sources are to be believed, Railways’ ignored Rourkela as a mild punishment as its third track laying has got stuck with the local administration failing to remove encroachment.
SER’s Chakradharpur Divisional spokesperson Bhaskar Kumar said due to encroachment, SER is not able to take up adequate development works. He downplayed Rourkela’s exclusion, adding that the A1 category station at Tatanagar was also not considered.
The redevelopment plan envisages to equip these selected stations with airport-like facilities. In Odisha, Bhuabneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda railway stations would be redeveloped.