Development of railway stations and setting up of multifunctional complexes in Odisha for amenities of passengers are facing uncertainty. While the State Government is pressing for these facilities, the Union Government is dragging its feet, for which ambitious projects are getting delayed.
Inordinate delay for signing an MoU by the Ministry of Railways (MoR) has resulted in cost escalation and hindrance in going ahead with construction of the proposed New Station Complex at the Bhubaneswar railway station.
While the State Government solely funding Rs 180-crore project to make the Bhubaneswar railway station a world-class facility, the Indian Railways is yet to give a date to sign an MoU.
The State Government recently approached the MoR to allow its officials to sign the requisite pact so that construction work would begin, but there is an eerie silence on the part of the Railways, said a State Government official.
Similarly, the proposal of setting up of a world-class facility at the Bhubaneswar New Complex as a second railway station for the State capital city has turned out as a cropper.
The Railways was to develop Bhubaneswar-Barang, a greenfield station, as a Model Station with world-class facilities. However, the Rail Vikash Nigam Limited (RVNL) has developed it as a small wayside station with very limited amenities for public.
While the State Government is trying to make the Bhubaneswar station a world-class one, making Bhubaneswar New, a way side rail station would not match to the requirement of Smart City Bhubaneswar, pointed out a senior State officer.
The Union Government had declared that 23 railway stations would be developed to international standards. However recently, the MoR has announced to re-develop 12 stations namely Puri, Bhadrak, Baleswar, Brahmapur, Cuttack, Jajpur-Keonjhar Road, Rayagada, Sambalpuur, Jharsugudsa, Rourkela and Bhubaneswar.
However, there is no announcement regarding the other 11 railway stations.
Similarly, it was announced to establish eight multifunctional complexes at Cuttack, Brahmapur, Jharsuguda, Rayagada, Banspani, Baleswar and Bhubaneswar with a Budget Hotel at Sambalpur. These proposals are yet to be taken up by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA).