The Steel Authority of India (SAIl) will get a Differential Global Positioning System Survey (DGPS) carried out for diverted forest area in Block ‘F’, of Rowghat Iron Ore Mine of Bhilai Steel Plant and other specified locations in its surroundings located in Narayanpur and Kanker district of Bastar, officials informed on Sunday. Notably, SAIl is also co-ordinating with the construction of Rail line from DaIlirajhara to Rowghat covering a distance of 95 km with Indian Railways in Chhattisgarh.
The project for doubling of Railway line between Kirandul and Jagdalpur in Chhatisgarh’s insurgency ridden Bastar region is expected to be complete by January 2019.
Notably, NMDC ltd — the Country's largest iron ore producer and exporter had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Union Ministry of Railways on December 21, 2012 and the aforesaid project would be helpful in significantly augmenting evacuation capacity of NMDC’s Bailadila Sector mines by rail from the existing 28 MTPA to 40 MTPA of iron ore. NMDC had deposited an amount of Rs 150 crores with East Coast Railway and the expenditure incurred as on March 31, 2015 was Rs 132.00 crore, sources informed. For execution of the project, the Railways has divided the 150 km length of doubling work into three sections namely, Jagdalpur to Silakjori (45.50 km), Kirandul to Gidam (52.23 km) and Silakjori to Gidam (52.73 km). Notably, the Rs 2000 crore Rowghat to Jagdalpur railway line would also pass through heavily insurgency infested Kondagaon and Narayanpur districts of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The project is a joint venture between Chhattisgarh Government, NMDC, SAIl and IRCON. There are a total of 840 farmers in Chhattisgarh whose land had been acquired for the Dallirajahara-Rowghat rail line project, the Central Government has informed. It may be recalled that Chhattisgarh Government would also be earmarking suitable land banks in the vicinity of Dallirajahara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur Rail Corridor for setting up of small industrial units, officials informed. The Chhattisgarh Government would be earmarking suitable land banks in the vicinity of Dallirajahara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur Rail Corridor for setting up of small industrial units, officials informed.