Mahanadi rail bridge by this fiscal

After inordinate delays, the construction of the second bridge over Birupa-Mahanadi, is expected to be completed by the end of the current fiscal.

It is part of the Rs 110 crore Talcher-Cuttack-Paradeep rail line doubling work.

The stretch of the bridge across rivers Mahanadi and Birupa is about 3km.

The project is being funded by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), market borrowings and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The project aimed at strengthening the Golden Quadrilateral channel of the Union government.

Recently the chairman of the Railway Board, Kalyan Coomar Jena, had assured the chief minister Naveen Patnaik to complete the work of the bridges at the earliest.

"The project is nearing completion and is expected to be completed by the end of the current fiscal", a senior official of the state commerce and transport department told Business Standard.

The project was sanctioned way back in 1996-97 and global tender was invited. However, it could not make headway till 1998-99 and actual work started from 1998-99 onwards, he added.

The construction work of the second bridge over Birupa was taken up by the Railways and was completed on December 3, 2004.

The construction of second bridge over Mahanadi was entrusted with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).

On the much awaited Haridaspur-Paradeep rail link, the official said, the project has made some headway.

While more than 90 per cent of the land acquisition is complete, construction of major and minor bridges have started.

The project is being implemented jointly with the RVNL and the industries, which will be benefited by the line.

A special purpose vehicle (SPV) named as Haridaspur-Paradeep Railway Company has been formed.

A shareholders agreement was signed on October 11, 2006, for the SPV, at the behest of the government of Orissa and RVNL.

The partners in the SPV include RVNL, Paradeep Port Trust, Orissa government, Rungta Mines Limited, Essel Mining and Industries, Jindal Steel and power, Posco India Private Limited, Steel Authority of India Limited and MSPL Limited.