State seeks Rs 1,805 crore for railway projects

The Orissa government has sought Rs 1805 crore allocation for the state in the Railway budget for 2010-11, including Rs 790 crore for the ongoing projects.

In a memorandum submitted to the Union government, the state has demanded Rs 300 crore for the Rs 1000 crore Khurda - Bolangir railway line, for which a mere Rs 28.07 crore was allocated in the last budget. Similarly, Rs 200 crore has been sought for the Rs 594 crore Haridaspur-Paradip railway project for which Rs 70 crore was allocated last year.

A provision of Rs 125 crore each for the Angul- Duburi-Sukinda Road and Talcher-Bimlagarh railway line has been sought against the allocation of Rs 75 crore and Rs 10 crore respectively last year. The cost of Talcher-Bimlagarh rail line is Rs 810.78 crore while the Angul-Duburi-Sukinda Road project will cost Rs 638.5 crore. Sources said, the state has demanded Rs 40 crore for Rs 142.98 crore Lanjigarh Road-Junagarh railway line against the allocation of Rs 30 crore in the last year’s railway budget.

Other demands included Rs 100 crore each for electrification and gauge conversion, Rs 760 crore for doubling of eighteen railway lines. The state received Rs 390 crore on this front last year. Besides, Rs 55 crore has been demanded for new coaching terminals and adarsh stations in the state, sources added.

Though the state government submitted a memorandum seeking Rs 1,504 crore on the eve of last year’s rail budget, it was allocated Rs 715 crore out of which Rs 653 crore was released.