Title - Odisha to begin land acquisition for A-C-T railway corridor

Odisha government today asked the state-owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) to go ahead with land acquisition for the proposed Angul-Chhendipada-Talcher (A-C-T) railway corridor in the coal belt.

The direction in this regard was given to IDCO by Chief Secretary B K Patnaik at a review meeting on the proposed railway corridor. "The alignment of the corridor has been finalised and the preliminary project proposal prepared," a senior official said.

Around 5,000 acres of land will be required for the railway corridor. "About Rs 5,000 crore will be invested for development of the project excluding the land cost," he said.

"It has also been decided that Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) will provide financial support for development of the railway corridor project, if required," Patnaik said adding a special land acquisition officer will be engaged for the purpose.

Besides Nalco, JSPL, IMFA, around 54 industries including Monnet, Rungta Mines, Maha-Guj, MAHAGENCO and TATA will be benefited from this corridor.

Of the 57 industries 23 are in steel sector, 22 in power sector, and 12 are in other sectors. The number of beneficiary industries will increase with allotment of more coal blocks in the locality, he said adding many stake holders have expressed their interest in the project and welcomed it. The proposed railway corridor will be flanked by Jarapada-Chhendipada road, NH-42, and NH-23 road networks. The corridor will be a composite one with railway, road and water tracks. The entire length of the corridor will be about 85 km. The project has been envisaged to be developed in three different phases, sources said.

In first phase the main corridor of Jarpada-Tentuloi track 21.75 km and Western Corridor of  Tentuloi- Nuagaon-Telisahi 21.907 km track will be taken up.

In second phase branch line corridor connecting Utkal coal blocks and Radhikapur east will be constructed and in the third phase rest of the coal blocks connecting up to Budhapank will be developed.

The proposed corridor will link more than 10 coal blocks including Baitarani west, Machhkund and Chhendipada, new Patrapada, Nuagaon Telisahi Radhikapur and Utkal coal blocks.