Major railway projects were put on fast track with Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy reviewing the progress and resolving the issues relating to ground level implementation in a high level meeting held on digital mode from Lokseba Bhawan recently.
Special Secretary Commerce and Transport and Commissioner Railway Coordination Manoj Mishra presented the updates for discussion.
Resolving the issues, Chief Secretary Tripathy directed the concerned departments and the project proponents to ensure strict ground level follow-up of the work schedule till completion and commissioning of the projects. The Collectors and Tehsildars were directed to give advance possession of the Government land for uninterrupted progress of the construction of the projects.
Tripathy also set timelines for different phases of the projects. Seven major projects reviewed include Khordha- Bolangir new broad gauge rail line of 289 km estimated around Rs3,550 crore; Sambalpur-Talcher doubling rail link of 174.11 km estimated around Rs 679.27crore; Vizianagaram-Sambalpur ( Titilagarh) 3rd line of 264.6 km estimated around Rs 2,575 crore; Budhapank-Salegaon 3rd and 4th rail line of 170 km estimated around Rs 1173 crore; Rourkela-Jharsuguda 3rd new rail link of 101 km estimated around Rs 1,173 crore.
Angul-Sukinda new line of 98.7 km estimated around Rs 638.5 crore and Talcher- Bimilagarh new rail link line of 155 km estimated around Rs 810.78 crore.
The issues relating to distribution of compensation award to the land owners, handing over the possession of the Government land, forest clearances, compensatory afforestation, setting up of the towers, shifting of utilities and wild life clearances etc were deliberated and resolved in the meeting.