UCCI seeks Centre's push for rail projects in industrial belts

The industry chamber pointed out that 45 MoU signed steel companies have proposed an investment of Rs 195,463 cr in the state

Miffed with the dismal progress of key railway projects in industrial belts, apex industry body Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) has sought Railway minister's intervention to expedite the projects.

The railway projects on slow lane are doubling of Sambalpur-Talcher (174 km) and Sambalpur-Titlagarh (182 km), Angul-Sukinda newline (98.7 km), Banspani-Daitari-Tomka-Jakhapura railway line (180 km) and Haridaspur-Paradip new line (83 km). Only three per cent of the Sambalpur-Talcher project approved in 2010-11, is completed. Similarly, the Sambalpur-Titlagarh doubling project is just two per cent complete though it was included in the Budget of 2006-07. Physical completion of Angul-Sunkinda new line, Banspani-Daitari-Tomka-Jakhapura and Haridaspur-Paradip new line is 14 per cent, 45 per cent and 32 per cent respectively.

"We request your kind and urgent intervention in the matter to ensure expeditious completion of all these projects and also to take up new projects immediately as required as the survival of these industries depends on a reliable railway connectivity and infrastructure", Debabrata Dash, secretary, UCCI wrote to Railways minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu and V K Gupta, member (engineering), Railway Board.

The industry chamber pointed out that 45 MoU (memorandum of understanding) signed steel companies have proposed an investment of Rs 195,462.81 crore in the state. Most of these industries have either already gone into commercial production or are on the verge of commencing commercial production. These industries have the potential to add huge value to the industrial growth rate in the country while contributing substantially to the state and central exchequer in terms of direct and indirect taxes, UCCI said.

All these industries depend heavily on rail infrastructure for transportation of raw material from pit head and ports to their plants and finished goods from their plant facilities to various destinations in the country.