Date:04/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/04/stories/2009010451230300.htm

Other States - Orissa

Jena flags off new Intercity Express

Staff Reporter

It will be difficult for the Railways to achieve target due to global meltdown, he says

Coaching complex to be set up at Paradip
About Rs. 75,000 cr. to be spent on infrastructure development

- Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

Off we go! Railway Board Chairman K.C. Jena flagging off the new Intercity Express train between Bhubaneswar and Paradeep in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.

BHUBANESWAR: Indian Railways on Saturday said it might be difficult to achieve target set for revenue generation and infrastructure developments by the end of this fiscal in wake of global meltdown impacts as well as financial burden to be borne for implementing recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Addressing a press conference following flagging off of Bhubaneswar-Paradeep Intercity Express here, Railway Board Chairman K. C. Jena said the current fiscal might prove to be a ‘bad’ year for the organisation for those two factors.

However, huge cash surplus during past two financial years would help the railway tide over the crisis, Mr. Jena hoped.

Railway Board Chairman said about Rs. 75,000 crore would be spent on Indian Railways infrastructure development projects during the next five years.

A major chunk of the expenditure would be made on development of freight corridors and passenger railway lines. Initial reports of the study conducted on feasibility of freight corridors between Kolkata-Chennai, Kolkata-Mumbai and New Delhi and Chennai had been promising, Mr. Jena said.

He said a coaching complex would be set up at Paradip since the town was fast emerging a major port area as well as industrial hub for the proposed Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR), which entailed huge investments.

Master plan

A master plan was being worked out for coaching complex and discussions with State government had already been initiated to turn Paradip into a freight nodal point, Railway Board Chairman said.

He announced that Rupsa-Bangirposi line would be extended to Chakulia that eventually connect Tata. It would reduce distance between Bhubaneswar and New Delhi by more than 100 km.

Briefing the media on progress of developing Bhubaneswar Railway Station into a world class station, Mr. Jena said he had discussed with Chinese experts on the issue and some procedural routes were to be followed. The work would soon be undertaken, he said.

Similarly, Khurda Road-Bolangir new broad gauge rail line, which had been conceptualised two decades ago, was progressing and budgetary provision for the second phase of work would also be made. Bottlenecks pertaining to land acquisition for the project were under consideration of a fast track committee, Railway Board Chairman said.