ROURKELA: The possibility of early completion of the much-delayed Talcher-Bimlagarh rail line project has now become real with the State government asserting to acquire the remaining land in next two months.Earlier, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) had revised the project’s completion target to March, 2025 citing delay in getting the required land in Sundargarh, Deogarh and Angul districts.
With the State government showing eagerness in removing land hurdles following a PIL filed by Talcher-Bimlagarh Rail Link Action Committee, the ECoR too seems willing to advance the completion target to 2023-end. President of the committee AP Biswal said the next hearing on the PIL is scheduled for March 15. To file its reply in the court, the government sent Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra, Revenue Secretary BP Sethi and Transport Secretary MS Padhi besides a senior officer of ECoR to review the land acquisition status on March 12. Mohapatra issued necessary instructions to the collectors of the three districts in this regard.
Biswal claimed that it was decided to complete acquisition of remaining 663 acre of private land. The collectors were allowed to enhance remunerations of retired revenue employees to get the job done.
“After completion of 20 km stretch from Talcher to Sunakhani, work on the next portion from Sunakhani to Samal is underway. Tender is likely to be floated for the Samal-Parbil stretch but meagre allocation of `10 crore in 2021-22 budget is a problem.
Sundargarh MP Jual Oram would be requested to approach Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to enhance budget allocation and simultaneously start work from Sundargarh side,” Biswal added.
Steel Executives’ Federation of India (SEFI) general secretary and committee member Bimal Bisi met Sethi and Padhi over the issue before calling on ECoR chief administrative officer (Construction) DP Lal. Quoting Lal, Bisi said fund is not a constraint and the rail line project would be accelerated from Bimlagarh (Sundargarh) side. The entire project of 149.7 km length would be completed by 2023.