The Pioneer, Jan 18, 2009
Pioneer News Service | Bhubaneswar
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday wrote letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad urging them to take steps for establishing a rail coach factory in the State. Patnaik also mentioned how the State has been a subject of negligence in the hand of the Centre over the years.
Seeking a Rs 1,520-crore package for an overall development of railway network in the coming Railway Budget-2009-10, Patnaik pointed out that the railway route length and rail density in the State was well below the national average as also substantially lower than that in the neighbouring States like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. The package demanded timely completion of the ongoing projects, sanctioning of new lines, undertaking surveys for new projects and improving passenger amenities at stations.
Mentioning how Orissa generated maximum revenue for the Railways, Patnaik said the earning should be spent on expansion and augmentation of rail network here. "Railways should ensure allocation of sizeable part of the revenue generated from Orissa within the State for expanding and augmenting rail network," he stated, adding that efforts should be made in connecting the KBK districts with rail connection. "KBK projects may be categorised as national projects," Patnaik added. It may be noted that railway aims to earn Rs 5,000 crore from Orissa in the coming financial year.
Patnaik also pointed out that the proposed rail coach factory could take advantage of steel and aluminum projects in Orissa. "The plant may be put up in one of the backward districts," he said, adding that establishment of a rail coach factory in backward district could foster the growth socio-economic growth and able to generate a large number of employment. Earlier, the railway authorities had announced two coach factories would be established one each at Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.He also mentioned about the Bhadrachalam Road (Andhra Pradesh)- Malkangiri- Jeypore-Junagarh- Lanjigarh road- Talcher- Bimalagarh, Khurad- Bolangir, Bhumara- Chakula and Banspani- Barbil rail lines.
Patnaik also demanded for doubling works of Daitari- Banspani, Talcher- Sambalpur and Haridaspur- Paradeep, Cuttack- Barang and Rajatgarh- Barang rail link. Patanik also demanded for a Satabdi Express from Puri to Paradip and another express train from Hoawarh/Salimar to Paradeep. "A Jan Shatabdi Express between Bhubaneswar and Rourkela is very much required," Patnaik said, adding that a new train service from Puri to Pune via Sambalpur via Titlagarh has also become essential and Bhubaneswar-Keonjhar express needs to be extended to Jamshedpur via Bansapani. Patnaik also demanded increasing of the frequency of a number of trains.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
We the peoples of north Orissa need a direct train between Kharagpur/Balasore to Cuttack upto Mumbai. Because being a main line it is very sad that there is no such train for Mumbai. so we are requesting our loving CM & Laluji to introduce a direct train in the coming budget for the interest of N.O peoples.
In India Railways is the normal mode of travel of the people upto upper middle class level. Most of the influential people, including Sr. Government Officials, MPs etc travel by air and due to this reason, the facilities available to travelers are either improving slowly or not at all improving. An additional births in sleeper and 3rd ac compartments have worsen the situation. At times travelers suffer due to scarcity of space, water etc. It is hell like situation to passengers who have to travel continuously for two or three days on long houl trains.
It is a fact that enough is not being done for improving the situation in Railways.
I believe that privatisation of railways is a must to solve the problem. Railways should be divided into two parts viz i) an authority to maintain stations and rail lines and other basic infrastructures and ii) the locomotives should be run by Public as well as Private enterprises. This way the passenger aminities will improve and a healthy competition between Private and Public service providers will ensure more facilities in railway sector as we have seen in Telecom/Airlines sectors.
So speak/demand for privatisation of railway services.
Post a Comment