Idco seeks infra nod for UMPP

The state’s agency for land acquisition Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) has sought clearances from the department of water resources and chief engineers of national and state highways for water pipeline corridor for the 4,000 Mw ultra mega power plant (UMPP) coming up at Bhedabahal near Sundargarh.

The water pipeline corridor needs 118.93 acres of land that will cross rivers, canals and roads. The UMPP estimated to cost Rs 20,000 crore needs 3,246 acres land in all that includes 2,733 acres private land, 444 acres government land and the rest 69 acres revenue forest land.

The government non-forest land of 444 acres is being alienated in 33 cases.

The UMPP is being implemented by Odisha Integrated Power Ltd (OIPL), a fully owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC). OIPL has received applications from nine prospective developers — Adani Power, CLP India, Jindal Power, JSW Energy, Larsen & Toubro, National Hydro Power Corporation, NTPC, Sterlite Infraventures and Tata Power.

The selection of bidder is being done as per the tariff based competitive bidding guidelines issued by the Central government on design, build, finance, own and transfer basis.

The R&R (rehabilitation & resettlement) plan has been provisionally approved by the Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committee. But land for R&R colony is yet to be finalized by the district administration. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur has been engaged as consultant by OIPL for planning and designing the R&R colony.