Memorandum to PM for improved rail services in Orissa

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Memorandum to PM for improved rail services in Orissa
Various organisations including Agami Odisha, Swabhiman Odisha Manch, Lokasamukhya, Focus Orissa and Khurda-Bolangir Rail-line Kriyanusthan Committee have submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister detailing their demands

VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS including Agami Odisha, Swabhiman Odisha Manch, Lokasamukhya, Focus Orissa and Khurda-Bolangir Rail-line Kriyanusthan Committee have submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister detailing their demands for the welfare of the state especially regarding the railways.

A five-member representative team led by Agami Odisha chief Lalit Mohan Pattnaik handed over the memorandum to the chief engineer, rail project, east coast railway.

Alleging that the railways have always shown a step-motherly attitude toward the state, the representatives said that while north-eastern states of India get special treatment by the ministry, most backward regions of the state like Kandhamal and Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) region are often neglected.

"Even hilly region like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand have received special package from the railways, KBK and Kandhamal regions known for their hilly backwardness, tribal populated backwardness and backward due to natural calamities have never considered for similar treatment," the delegation rued.

The railway infrastructure in Orissa is substantially low compared to the national average despite the state being in the profit-making zones, where as railway infrastructure of some neighbouring states are remarkably high though they are in the loss making zones, they said.

"Though the railways earn huge profits by transporting coal, metals, ores and minerals, the state has never got its due," they said.

Khurda road-Bolangir and Lanjigarh road-Junagarh railway lines in Orissa which were approved much earlier than Muzaffarpur-Sitamari and Sultangang-Deogarh railway lines in Bihar, are only 10 per cent complete where as both above projects in Bihar are completed by now, they said.

Their demands included expediting of various railway project works pending in the state, their completion in the 11th plan period and upgradation of the Mancheswar coach repair factory to a coach manufacturing factory.

http://www.merinews.com/article/memorandum-to-pm-for-improved-rail-services-in-orissa/15709850.shtml