Joint working committee to decide about rail wagon unit in Odisha

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Saturday said a joint working committee will be formed to take up the issue of a rail wagon repair unit proposed to be set up at Narla in Odisha's Kalahandi district.

"Two wagon factories have been proposed to be set up in Odisha -- one at Sitalapalli and second at Kalahandi. The projects were announced in earlier budget. But no substantial development has taken place so far.

"So, we both, state government and railway, have formed a working committee to deliberate on what type of projects can be set up there," Prabhu told mediapersons after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his residence here.

"After the deliberation, we will take decision on it," he added.

He also said a joint venture company would to be formed in partnership with the Odisha government to implement several projects in the state.

Patnaik said, "I had discussion with Railway Minister on Kalahandi wagon factory issue. A joint working group is formed to sort this out."

He said they also discussed about the railway connection to Malkangiri and Nabarangpur and added that they will have video conferencing every alternate month to review the progress of railway projects in the state.

Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said he and the East Coast Railway general manager would meet to decide the fate of the wagon factory at Kalahandi.

"If there wouldn't be a wagon factory, railway would certainly take up another project at Kalahandi," said Padhi.

There was a hue and cry in Odisha following the decision of the railway board to shift the proposed wagon unit to Andhra Pradesh.