Naupada-Gunupur rail project on schedule

The gauge conversion of Naupada-Gunupur railway line is likely to be completed by the end of the current financial year.

About Rs 25 crore was allotted in this year's budget to complete the on going 91-km gauge conversion project.

"The work is in full swing and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2008" said SS Khurana, General Manager of East Cost Railway here.

Over Rs 66-crore has been spent on the project so far.

The work of the project to change the gauge had started in 2004 following prolonged agitation.

The local people had demanded extension of the line up to Bisamcuttack via Rayagada. The narrow gauge railway line was set up in May 1901 by the late Maharaja of Paralakhemundui, Gourachandra Gajapati.

The 39.4 km line from Nuapada to Paralakhemundi was extended from Paralakhemundi to Gunupur by his son Krushna Chandra Gajapati in 1926.

The proposed railway line would be the vital communication link for the people of the southern Orisa districts and the part of Andhra Pradesh.

Khurana was here to inaugurate the renovated VIP room in Berhampur railway station.

He also reviewed the progress on modernisation scheme in Berhampur railway station.

Faced with drinking water crisis in several railway stations including Berhampur, the East Cost Railway has requested the state government for alternative arrangement of drinking water supply to its problem-ridden stations.

"We have requested the state government for arrangement of alternative sources of drinking water to some of the stations including Berhampur of the East Cost railway zone to mitigate the drinking water problem in the zone", Khurana said.

The drinking water problem is persisting because depilation in ground water level, he said. Presently the water supply is being made by the urban water supply department of the state government.

The water supply in the stations, particular Berhampur, has been very erratic.

Stating the East Cost Railway Zone is given much emphasis on passenger safety and improvement on passenger amenities including improvement of railway stations, he said, about Rs 15 crore would be spent in the zone for improvement of passenger amenities in different stations during the current year.

"Out of Rs 800 crore budgets for the zone, about Rs 15 crore is earmarked for the improvement of passenger amenities" he stated.