Odisha demands five Durontos' in coming Rail budget

Odisha has demanded a budgetary allocation of Rs 3050 crore for the 2012-13 fiscal for new lines and other projects and over two dozen new trains including five Durontos' in the coming Rail Budget. In a memorandum submitted to Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, a committee of the State Assembly on Railways demanded conducting a survey for connecting Jharsuguda in the state to Allahabad touching under-developed regions in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh and extension of the eastern dedicated freight corridor project up to Berhampur. "The committee strongly feels that Odisha should be paid due attention for allotment of projects and funds in the ensuing Railway Budget," it said while noting the present railway infrastructure is inadequate to handle the future growth of traffic. Of the Rs 3050 crore for the state, it sought Rs 1440 crore for new lines, Rs 940 crore for doubling work and laying third line etc. The memorandum also emphasised on expediting rail connectivity to backward areas of the state with completion of projects lingering for over two decades. A demand has also been made for a bypass from Khurda Road to Rajathgarh so as to decongest the near saturated Barang- Bhubaneswar-Khurda Road stretch. Five new Durontos' have ben demanded from the state, one of which include a train between Bhubaneswar and Mumbai and the other one between the state capital and Bangalore keeping the large student flow between these two cities in mind. Besides, 26 new trains have been demanded which include another Rajdhani from the State to New Delhi connecting the western districts of the state.