Odisha related ECOR and SER new lines allocations for 2011-12 and spending during 2010-11
Angul - Talcher - Sukinda (under constr.), Haridaspur - Paradeep (under constr.), Jaleshwar-Digha, Khurda Rd - Balangir (under constr.), Lanjigarh Rd - Junagarh, New Lines, Railway Budget 2010, Railway Budget 2011, Talcher - Bimlagarh (under constr.) February 26th. 2011, 4:58pmThe above can be obtained by looking at the appropriate pages of this year’s pink book and last year’s pink book. Following are images cut from both.
From 2011-12 Pink book
Following are some observations based on the above:
- Khurda Rd-Balangir: It seems 115.8 crores is expected to be spent on Khurda-Balangir line during March 2010-March 2011. This is close to the 120 crores that was allocated in the 2010-11 budget. So I am not sure why the budget was slashed to 60 crores. My guess is that last year they spent the money in building on the land they had already acquired. Now they need to acquire more new land to build and so until enough new land is acquired a lot of money could not be allocated for construction. The blame here lies with the railways for not anticipating in advance and not buying enough land in the previous years. The Odisha government should have also monitored this and prodded ECOR to buy enough land in advance. A bit of good news is that the budget speech explicitly mentions that Khurda Rd-Begunia will be completed this year.
- Talcher-Bimlagarh: Last year the allocation was 50 crores. However, it is anticipated that 99.4-37.98= 61.42 crores will be spent on this during March 2010-March 2011. For the 2011-12 the allocation is 66 crores, and the budget speech explicitly mentions that some part of this line will be completed this year.
- Angul – Sukinda: In 2010-11 the allocation was 22.5 crores, out of which only 12.7 crores is expected to be spent during March 2010-March 2011. For the 2011-12 the allocation is a substantial one consisting of 27 crores (RVN) plus 169.15 crores (PPP). It is not clear where the PPP money is coming from. If it is from the Odisha government or Odisha industries then railways should not take credit for it.
- Haridaspur – Paradeep: In 2010-11 the allocation was 101 crores, out of which 79.6 cores (=251.2-171.6 ) is expected to be spent during March 2010-March 2011. For the 2011-12 the allocation is a substantial one consisting of 10 crores (RVN) plus 169.15 crores (PPP). It is not clear where the PPP money is coming from. If it is from the Odisha government or Odisha industries then railways should not take credit for it.
- Daitari – Banspani: I am not sure what the deal here is. This line is supposed to be complete. I don’t know why there is a 70 crores budget for this.
- Lanjigarh Rd – Junagarh: This line has an allocation of 10 crores and will be completed this year. Once that is done Ispat Express should be extended to Lanjigarh Rd or Bhawnipatna and a Bhawniaptana – Bhubaneswar express should be introduced.
Now let us move to SER.
- Jaleswar – Digha (41 kms): Last year 20 crores were allocated to it. But only 2 crores is expected to be spent during March 2010-March 2011. For the 2011-12 the allocation is a substantial one consisting of 150 crores. Also due to some modification in the plan the overall estimated cost has gone up from 255.11 crores to 533.63 crores. The modification includes a segment in West Bengal. It is not clear how much of the allocated 150 crores will be spent in the Odisha part and how much in the newly tagged on West Bengal part.
The overall new lines budget for 2011-12 is 733.4 crores. But if one takes out the PPP part then it is only 393 crores. And then, if the Jaleswar-Digha part is West Bengal centric and one takes 150 crores for it out then the total reduces to only 243 crores. Is Mamata Banerjee hoodwinking Odisha here?
See http://www.orissalinks.com/orissagrowth/archives/3272 for how it compares with previous years budgets. See http://www.orissalinks.com/orissagrowth/archives/4638 for a tabular listing of the new line budget over the years. See http://www.orissalinks.com/orissagrowth/archives/3202 for an old projection to the future.
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February 27th, 2011 at 2:27 am
Jaleswar – Digha (41 kms) by SER
From the pink-book of SER: the following two new lines are being constructed:
1. Digha-Jaleswar (41 km) with new Material Modification for Digha-Egra (31 km).
2. Tamluk-Digha, Deshpran-Nandigram with new Material Modification for Kanthi-Egra (26.2 km).
Does it mean Jaleswar-Digha line is being laid via Egra-Kanthi and not through Chandaneswar-Bhogarai? If so, there is nothing to cheer about the allocation of Rs.150 cr in the budget!!
February 27th, 2011 at 4:26 am
I doubt it. I think they just tagged the Digha-Egra part to the already approved Digha – Jaleswar line. But we should look for the map and watch out.
February 28th, 2011 at 1:47 am
Gentlemen,
From a practical point of view the distance between Jaleswar and Digha is shortest IF it goes through Kamarda-Batagaon-Dehurda (all in Odisha). Having said that from Google maps it appears that there is already a railway line between Digha – Kanthi (in West Bengal). Therefore if the railway line does go through Egra (West Bengal) and then to Jaleswar then it would be a round about way from Digha to Jaleswar. This could very well be the case since decisions in the railways and government of India are political rather than practical. The longer and more roundabout a route the more it is possible for contractors/middlemen/politicians & their stooges to fleece the government! Looking at the numbers it might not be a surprise that the estimated cost has gone up from @Rs 255 crores to @Rs 533 crores. Ah there are so many mini-Commonwealth type of activities in India. I wish some news organization does an RTI query on this.
March 1st, 2011 at 2:01 am
What is about the medical college at Bhubaneswar as declared in the last budget?
March 17th, 2011 at 7:21 am
Daitari Banspani project actually comprises four projects, i.e. Daitari Banspani New BG Line, Sukinda Road Jakhapura flyover, Jakhapura-Haridaspur third line and Tomka- Banspani electrification. New line is commissioned. Last Dec they commissioned the flyover. Tomka-Harichandanpur section is electrified. What remains is the third line and Harichandanpur Banspani electrification. But the pace has slowed down. Expected expenditure by Mar 11 is less than the expected expenditure by Mar 10. That means that last year’s outlay of Rs75 crore was not spent at all.
Coming to Khurda Road Balangir project, the picture is hazy. It is difficult to believe the pink book figures given the past experiences. Railway Board in its letter dated 15.10.2010 reduced the allocation by Rs40 crores, i.e. to Rs80 crores. Secondly, it ordered a bankability study by RVNL last year. Third, this year the latest anticipated cost has been reduced to Rs470.21 crore from Rs700 crore(Pink Books of last four years). Something is fishy here. Land is not an issue in this project. For 0-36km, land is with railways long back. Railway Board is sitting with the estimates for 36-112km for more than three years. Most of the land required for this section is with Railways. For 112-289, Railways have not applied for land nor deposited the money.
Angul Sukinda Rd is a priority line and is supposed to be completed in the 11th five year plan. Physical progress is zero as there is no money. Nobody knows the mystery of PPP figures in this year’s budget. But economically unviable projects sanctioned in the same year and after are either complete or targeted for completion this year. It seems that Railways want to earn without investing.
Coming to Digha- Jaleswar, the new section Digha-Egra has nothing to do with Orissa. Even most part of Digha- Jaleswar passes through West Bengal. It is not going via Chandaneswar. Local MLA Anant Das has repeatedly raised this issue, but to no avail. However it is going through Bhograi and then taking a turn to Bengal.
There is hardly any information about Buramara-Chakulia. This is handed over to RVNL and is to be executed in SPV mode.
March 30th, 2011 at 8:32 am
Railway Minister’s announcement about completing a part of Talcher-Bimalagarh in 2011-12 is a plain lie. Tender for earthwork for 0-25 km was issued today. No human hand can complete any section of this line in 11-12. I do not believe the expenditure figures given in pink books. Railways have been manipulating this for years to manage media and politicians in the immediate aftermath of the budget.