While delay in construction of the much awaited Talcher-Bimlagarh railway line is attributed to the slow process of land acquisition, Sundargarh MP and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oam wrote a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday and urged him to consider the East Coast Railways’ (ECoR) request for exemption of stamp dutyand registration fees during land acquisition of the private lands for the project.
Oram in his letter also urged the State Government to take up land acquisition of the project on priority basis, so that the same can be completed within stipulated deadline of 2022.
Oram in his letter claimed that there has been provision that in the case of land acquisition of private lands for any Government projects, there will be no requirement of stamp duty.
“But, during landacquisition for Talcher - Bimlagarh railway project, in as many as thirteen villages of Angul district, Talcher Sub Registrar has been demanding stamp duty for which the land acquisition has not been progressing,” Oram mentioned in his letter. “The Deputy Chief Engineer, East Coast Railways has requested Additional Secretary, Revenue, Government of Odisha, seeking his intervention in the matter,” Oram said.
Oram in his letter claimed that Talcher - Bimlagarh railway project has been one of the important railway projects, for the interest of the State, since it is going to link the mineral rich belt of the State with Paradip port and this route would be the shortest route, among all existing routes to the port as well as from steel city Rourkela to the State capital.
“Considering the importance of the project, I request for your kind intervention over the subject and give necessary direction to the concerned authority, so that the registration of the land can be done without the stamp duty,” Oram said.
Oram in his letter also referred to the State Government's initiative of exemption of the stamp duty in land acquisition of Khurda - Bolangir rail line project and providing about 882 acres of Government land without any premium.
Oram urged CM Patnaik to take Talcher - Bimlagarh rail line project with similar priority and exempt the stamp duty.