ROURKELA: As overlapping territorial jurisdictions of the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and South Eastern Railway (SER) with the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) continue to cause technical complexities, development projects under the ambitious Smart City Mission are facing inordinate delay.
The Steel City is the only urban centre in Odisha having two townships. While one comes under RMC limits with about 3.2 lakh population, the Rourkela Industrial Township (RIT) created in 1995 comes under the territorial jurisdiction of RSP having about 2.3 lakh population. At many places, RSP land overlaps with RMC to hinder integrated development of the city.
Similarly, SER tracks and parallel unused land run through middle of the RMC limits. It is estimated that around 80,000-90,000 slum people reside on SER land illegally. Similarly, near half of the RIT population live in unauthorised slums on RSP land. Both the RSP and SER do not allow slum development activities or extension of basic services to slum population on their land by RMC. As a result, the Smart City Proposal (SCP) including Area Based Development (ABD) plan has been strictly restricted to RMC limits.
Incidentally, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has been included in the slum redevelopment scheme of the Smart City Mission to rehabilitate slum dwellers. But neither the SER nor the RSP are willing to allow rehabilitation of slum population on their land.
A few days ago, Sundargarh Collector SK Meena for the first time categorically told the SER authorities to explore ways for rehabilitation of 766 slum families identified for eviction for SER’s third line project.
Chief Executive Officer of Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSCL) and RMC Commissioner Rashmita Panda said after a couple of coordination meetings with RSP authorities, many issues were recently resolved, adding similar discussion over certain issues including making SER slums Open Defecation Free (ODF) would be held with SER authorities. She admitted that sometime due to jurisdiction technicalities, some projects faced delay and cost overrun.
In March 2017, Development Commissioner and RSCL Chairman R Balakrishnan had assured to hold an apex committee meeting to sort out land issues.Former Congress MLA Pravat Mohapatra said Rourkela is a special case and over jurisdiction issues, the SER and RSP have mischievously halted many projects or schemes, adding direct intervention of the Chief Minister is required to give pace to the city’s growth.
Chairman of Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) and former BJD Minister SP Nayak insisted for an integrated development approach with proper mapping of the Smart City boundaries and encroachment areas.
On the other hand, protest by a section of tribals is another cause of worry. After several protests, the fringe tribal population has challenged the formation of the RMC with inclusion of two gram panchayats in the Orissa High Court. This has halted RMC election and formation of new wards.
Lingering issue
Around 80,000-90,000 slum people reside on SER land illegally
Half of the RIT population live in unauthorised slums on RSP land
At many places, RSP land overlaps with RMC to hinder integrated development of the city
Both RSP and SER do not allow slum development activities by RMC on their land