Title - State seeks Rs. 3,050 cr. for rail projects

Odisha has demanded a budgetary allocation of Rs. 3,050 crore for the 2012-13 fiscal for new lines and other projects and over two dozen new trains including five ‘durontos’ in the coming rail budget.In a memorandum submitted to Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, a committee of the State Assembly on Railways demanded conducting a survey for connecting Jharsuguda in the State to Allahabad touching under-developed regions in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh and extension of the eastern dedicated freight corridor project up to Berhampur. “The committee strongly feels that Odisha should be paid due attention for allotment of projects and funds in the ensuing railway budget,” it said while noting the present railway infrastructure is inadequate to handle the future growth of traffic. Of the Rs. 3,050 crore for the State, it sought Rs. 1,440 crore for new lines, Rs. 940 crore for doubling work and laying third line etc.The memorandum also emphasised on expediting rail connectivity to backward areas of the State with completion of projects lingering for over two decades. -P