Odisha asks rail, port developers to submit document by Jan 31

With tardy progress in different railway and port projects in the state, Odisha government today asked developers to submit forest clearance proposals and other required documents by January 31 to expedite land acquisition for the purpose, official sources said.
"The project developers have been asked to submit all forest clearance proposals by January 31 with the required papers like Gram Sabha resolution, DGPS survey, FRA certificate and others," a senior official said after attending a review meeting with project authorities and state.
"The state has also issued direction to concerned District Collectors to expedite land acquisition for different railway and port projects," Commerce and Transport Secretary G Mathivathanan said.

While the National High Way Authorities of India (NHAI) were asked to expedite the implementation of a bridge in Kanpur irrigation project, Chief Secretary J K Mohapatra suggested the authorities to plan for NH bypass of Angul town as the industrial and commercial activities in the area is picking up.
The project development matters of Angul-Sukinda Railway, Haridaspur-Paradeep railway, Dhamara Port, Astaranga Port, Subarnarekha Port, Gopalpur Port were also discussed in the meeting. Railway and Port Authorities of different projects also put forth their issues.
The issues relating to forest and environmental clearances, social impact study, DGPS survey, land acquisition, contract award, progress of work, payment of incidental charges for alienation of government land for commercial use, providing of bank guarantee about the revenue sharing by the developer and other issues were discussed in the meeting, sources said.

However, the state government was informed by the NHAI about contract being awarded for construction of the long awaited bridge over river Mantei in the district of Bhadrakh for direct communication to Dhamara Port.

The tender papers have also been received for two lane road from Jamjhadi to Dhamara which was also awaited for some time. "The tender will be finalised within 20 days," said Secretary works Nalinikanta Pradhan.
"It has been decided in the meeting that for efficient timely execution of railway projects the concerned engineers of RNVL projects will report day to day progress to Managing Director of the SPV, constituted as a joint venture," the official said.

The meeting decided to ask the port developers to give bank guarantee of the revenue sharing with validity up to the end of moratorium period which is generally five years in many projects.
It has also been decided that the developers will give prior permission to government before signing of MOU with any third party for project development activities, they said.