State Government's proposal, a big jolt to Rourkelites

New Indian Express reports

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has demanded 12 new trains in the 2012-13 Railway Budget.

The new trains are, Bhubaneswar-Mumbai/Pune, Puri-Jeypore/Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar-Bangalore, Puri/Bhubaneswar-Surat (all Duronto express), Rourkela-New Delhi, Keonjhar-Howrah, Barbil-Visakhapatnam via Keonjhar and Bhubaneswar, Titlagarh-Bhubaneswar via Rayagada, Bhubaneswar-Shiridi daily express, passenger train service between Barbil-Puri and passenger service between Bhawanipatna-Bhubaneswar via Sambalpur.

In a letter to Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also demanded increase of frequency of several trains following persistent demand from the travelling public. The trains are, Bhubaneswar-Kurla-Lokamanya Tilak express, Puri-Ahmedabad express via Sambapur, Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani express, Puri-Patna Baidyanath express and Puri-Guwahati express.

Cuttack and Bhubaneswar are being developed as twin cities and as per the comprehensive development plan prepared by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, the combined population will be 2.7 million by 2021.

Stating that this will necessitate a mass rapid transit system (MRTS), Naveen said that this was the appropriate time to commence detailed planning for rail based city transport system in greater Bhubaneswar region.

Stating that the operationalisation of East Coast Railway (ECoR) has brought railway management closer to the people and problems of Odisha, the Chief Minister demanded extension of its jurisdiction to include Banspani-Padapahar section, Bhadrak-Laxmannath section in Khurda Road division and Jharsuguda-Barasuan-Kiriburu, Rourkela-Nuagaon and Jharsuguda-Himagiri sections in Sambalpur division. Besides, appropriate functional reorganisation of ECoR will necessitate the creation of a new railway division at Jajpur-Keonjhar Road, he said.

The Chief Minister has demanded that the doubling work of Rayagada-Koraput and Kottavalsa-Kirandul broad gauge rail link should be sanctioned. He also said that the doubling work of Khurda Road-Puri link (phase-II), Raj Athgarh-Barang and Barang-Khurda Road third line should be expedited. These projects should be commissioned in 2012-13 with provision of enhanced budget, he said.

He demanded the electrification of Talcher-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda, Sambalpur-Titlagarh and Koraput-Rayagada railway lines should be sanctioned. He requested that execution of world class station at Bhubaneswar and Puri should be expedited. Railway stations at important district centres and major tourist destinations need special attention to provide multi-functional complexes and upgraded passenger amenities, he said.

The Chief Minister also sought introduction of DMU services in Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Rourkela and Berhampur-Balasore corridors. He said that a new train service from Puri to Pune and Mumbai via Sambalpur and Titlagarh has become essential.

Advocating for a self-sustainable and workable PPP initiatives in the coal and iron ore sectors, the Chief Minister has requested formulation of a suitable policy for attracting private investment in the development of dedicated rail corridors.



Instead of considering the creation of Rourkela Division, the State has put the demand to extend the jurisdiction of Sambalpur Division, which is really a big shock for Rourkelites

'More interaction among industrialists to boost growth'

Zee News/PTI reports

Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday advocated regular interaction among members of various chambers of commerce and industry saying it would go a long way in boosting economic growth.

"Frequent interaction among members of chambers of commerce and industry will
help the entrepreneurs to strengthen the economy," Mukherjee said at the golden jubilee celebration of Rourkela Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) in Rourkela.

Regular discussions and exchange of ideas among entrepreneurs would play a significant role in boosting economic growth, he said.

The economic policy being implemented by the government would benefit the future generation as it provides free and fair opportunities, the finance minister said.

Praising late Biju Patnaik, former chief minister of Odisha, Mukherjee said the legendary leader's role was not confined to the state. Patnaik was truly a national leader who made immense contribution to the economic development of the country, he said.

Inaugurated by Biju Patnaik in 1952, RCCI had completed 50 years and contributed to the all round development of the region, Mukherjee said.

Referring to demands put forth by the Chamber, the finance minister expressed inability to give any commitment as the model code of conduct was in force in view of the ensuing Panchayat elections in Odisha.

Pranab lays foundation stone of new NIT building

Zee News/PTI reports

Rourkela: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a Rs 60 crore building of the prestigious National Institute of Technology (NIT) here.

Pranab lays foundation stone of new NIT building
The 13 storied building equipped with sophisticated gadgets and modern facilities would be constructed coinciding with the golden jubilee of NIT.

The landmark building, scheduled to be completed in two years, would house important sections including the administrative office of the NIT.

Mukherjee, who was on a two-day visit to the steel city, praised the role being played by NIT in imparting high quality technological education.

The finance minister also inaugurated the 84th annual conference of Nikhila Bharat Banga Sahitya Samilana where more than 1,000 delegates participated from different parts of the country.

Pranab lays foundation stone of new NIT building
Highlighting the significant role played by language in national integration and harmony, Mukherjee said the bond among people gets strengthened through literature which transcends geographical barriers.

The senior Congress leader, during his arrival here yesterday, was greeted with a demonstration by activists of India Against Corruption who protested the visit.

About six of the demonstrators who shouted slogans and carried flags demanding a strong Lokpal, were arrested as a preventive measure.

The finance minister had attended the golden jubilee celebrations of Rourkela Chamber of Commerce and Industry last evening.

Ex-RSP staff given mushroom farming training by KIIT

A report from Daily Pioneer

Under Counseling, Retraining and Redeployment (CRR) scheme of the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, forty trainees, who had retired under VRS from Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), were given certificates and conveyance allowance of `60 per day by KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, after their successful completion of mushroom cultivation training here on Thursday.

To bring the VRS people again into the mainstream, the Government of India has introduced this scheme and in Odisha, the scheme is monitored by the KIIT University’s School of Rural Management Department (KSRM) as nodal agency and in Rourkela, it is implemented by noted social organisation ‘ENVICARE’.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Chief Guest B. Swain advised the trainees to be vegetarian for a good health. Mushroom cultivation is a profit making venture, he said and urged every body to do it.

ENVICARE Director Aurobinda Das delivered the guest introduction speech and spoke about the aim of the scheme. KSRM senior project coordinator Gopal Bhoi and ‘ENVICARE’ member secretary Srikant Satpathy spoke.

Pranab lays stone of new NIT-Rourkela building

A report from Daily Pioneer

Rourkela: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the new NIT-Rourkela's building. The 13-storied building would be constructed at a cost of `60 crore. The building equipped with sophisticated gadgets would be come up in two years coinciding with the NIT’s golden jubilee. Mukherjee also inaugurated the 84th annual conference of the Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya Samilan which was attended by over 1,000 delegates from different parts of the country.

Hostels for tribal students on the anvil

Indian Express reports

BHUBANESWAR: To address residential problems in towns and urban centres faced by tribal students, the ST & SC Development Department has decided to set up hostel complexes in Bhubaneswar, Rourkela and Berhampur. As per the project, three such complexes will come up in Lumbini Vihar, Kalinga Vihar and Pokhriput in one acre land each in Bhubaneswar, one each in Berhampur and Rourkela.

The complex at Rourkela will be constructed on five acres of land. While one hostel complex in Berhampur has already been constructed and 143 tribal students are residing in there, work for another one is on in two acres of land.

Sources said the complexes in Bhubaneswar will house as many as 1000 students and those in other two centres will accommodate 300 students each. Land for the purpose in all the three centres have been acquired.

These complexes will house all the facilities for students and keeping in view their requirements, educational architects have prepared detailed project layouts.

Sources said though a decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting in September last year, work began this year.

Many reputed educational institutions in these three centres have enrollment of several tribals students. Many of them who fail to get hostel seats are forced to stay in private accommodations by paying high rents.

“Education of tribal students is the primary objective of our department. These complexes will be of great help to them who want to pursue higher education in urban centres,” said Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the department Santosh Sarangi.

The complexes will be set up at an expenditure of Rs 20 crore to Rs 22 crore. The construction works will be completed in another one-and-half years.

This apart, the department is setting up 1000 girls hostels in remote areas this year, which will provide facility for one lakh tribal students.

Sarangi said plans are also in the pipeline for starting 30 new ashram schools in the State by the department which will have classes from Std 6 to 10. An amount of Rs 1.7 crore each have been earmarked for construction of the schools, hostels and staff quarters, he added. Education in these schools will begin in 2013-14 academic year.

RSP blast furnaces scale new peaks

IBNlive reports

Rourkela, Dec 21 (PTI) Blast furnaces of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) achieved another feat by recording the best ever production for any single day. The plant produced 7375 tonnes of hot metal yesterday thereby surpassing the previous record of 7351 tonnes of hot metal produced on October 28, 2009, RSP sources said today. Blast Furnace-three also contributed significantly in achieving this feat by making 1825 tonnes of hot metal on the said day, again its best ever performance. Adequate support was extended by various departments including Sintering Plant-I, Sintering Plant-II, Coke Ovens, SMS-I, SMS-II, CPP-I, Utilities, T&RM and other service units which have pitched in with effective support. RSP CEO G S Prasad visited the blast furnace department this morning and congratulated the employees.

Rourkela-Sundargarh SH-10 turns death trap

Times of India reports

ROURKELA: The Rourkela-Sundargarh SH-10 has turned into a virtual death trap with 90 to 100 accidents taking place on the road every year. This despite the safety measures like creating awareness about speed limits by Sundargarh police.

According to statistics available with Sundargarh police, 90 accidents have taken place in 2008 in which 96 people were killed. In 2009, there were 81 accidents resulting in 83 casualties. The number of accidents in 2010 was 90 with 102 deaths. In 2011 till November-end, 69 accidents had taken place in which 71 people had died.

Recently, Sundargarh police conducted a detailed survey in an effort to ascertain different aspects of accidents like accidents-prone spots, time of occurrence of maximum number of accidents and category of victims and accused. "The findings of the survey were analysed at a high-level meeting and a detailed plan has been chalked out to ensure that the number of accidents are reduced to the lowest possible limits," said Sanjib Arora, SP (Sundargarh).

"After analyzing the information of the survey, we have identified accident-prone spots. Most are between Kutra and Bargaon with most mishaps taking place between 12 noon and 9 pm," informed Y Jethwa, DIG (WR).

"The victims are mostly pedestrians, cyclists or two-wheelers whereas the accused were mostly dumper or truck drivers," Jethwa said. "People driving with very high speeds while being drunk due to the easy availability of country and foreign liquor along the highway is believed to be the main reason behind these mishaps," Jethwa said. "So we have drawn an action plan to bring down the number of accidents/deaths in another six to eight months by our systematic operations on this route," Jethwa added.

"We will involve different agencies for introducing multifarious interventions like speed breakers at crucial points," Jethwa said, adding that "We will involve NGOs to spread awareness". "We will conduct a surprise check on drivers to analyse their driving skills," he said.

"Besides increasing the frequency of patrolling, we propose to have couple of composite patrolling vans with facilities of medical staff and first aid at strategic locations, so that they can rush to the accident spot within minutes," he added.

More night trains with tight security

IBN Live reports

ROURKELA: It is official now. Movement of trains at night on the busy Howrah-Mumbai route of the South Eastern Railway (SER) has partly been restored and indications are that more trains would start running from Tuesday night.

In the wee hours of Tuesday, the Kurla-Shalimar Express and the Hapa-Howrah Express chugged into Rourkela.

After security clearance, the SER had on Monday evening lifted restrictions on the Rourkela-Chakradharpur section and cleared the passage till Tata. Bilaspur-bound passenger train was the first to leave Tata. It would, however, take a few more days to restore complete normalcy owing to security reasons.

Meanwhile, the SER has announced continuation of the regulation between 10 pm and 5 am on the volatile Kharagpur-Tata section till December 23.

If sources are to be believed then notwithstanding the official ban between Tata and Kharagpur stations, more trains would run on the route on an experimental basis from Tuesday night amidst tight security.

Around 40 pairs of express and 22 pairs of passenger trains ply on the route and restoration of train movement at night would mean enormous time and cost savings for thousands of passengers.

Kolkata-based SER chief public relations officer Soumitra Bannerjee described it as a “good beginning”. He said restriction on the Kharagpur-Tata section would be lifted after security clearance from West Bengal and Jharkhand governments.

If security feasibility permitted then more trains would start running at night in phases as it involved three states including Odisha and three railway divisions, he added.

As a security measure, pilot trains would escort the passenger trains and police of the states concerned in tandem with CRPF and railway security personnel would ensure ground security.

SER had begun regulating night trains since May 28, 2010 after suspected Maoists derailed the Jnaneswari Express in West Bengal leading to death of around 144 persons.

Night train services partially restored

New Indian Express reports

ROURKELA: Bilaspur-Tata passenger train reached Rourkela on Monday evening marking an end to the restriction on movement of night trains on the busy Howrah-Mumbai route.

Sources said regulation on plying of trains between 10 pm and 5 am at various sections of the South Eastern Railway (SER) had been continuing since May 28 last year after derailment of Jnaneswari Express in West Bengal by suspected Maoists.

SER spokesperson for Chakradharpur division AK Haldar confirmed that restriction on the Chakradharpur-Rourkela section was lifted on Monday evening. He, however, said night movement of trains would remain suspended on the Tata-Kharagpur section till December 23. Under these circumstances, the Kurla-Howrah Express would be allowed to leave Chakradharpur on Tuesday, he added. SER sources said around 40 pairs of express trains and 22 pairs of passenger trains ply on these two sections of the Mumbai-Howrah route.

Welcoming the decision, Rourkela Development Steering Committee (RDSC) president Subrata Patnaik said it was a victory for their unrelenting struggle. RDSC has held numerous agitations for restoration of night movement of trains.

Would Hemanand help State on minerals Bill?

A report from Daily Pioneer

Odisha has reasons to be happy over the controversial Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill, which will replace the age-old mining rules.

Congress MP from minerals-rich Sundargarh and former Chief Minister Hemanand Biswal is the man who now holds the key to the debatable points in the Bill. He is the Chairman of the Parliament’s Standing Committee of Labour and Employment.

The committee has been entrusted with the task of studying the Bill before it is placed in the Parliament for debate.

The Odisha Government’s many arguments seem to have been ignored by the Centre, but now with Biswal being at the helm of affairs, the State could hope for the best, said a senior official in the State’s Department of Steel and Mines.

The State Government had earlier made several demands to be incorporated in the Bill including stopping of export of iron ore and introduction of a new tax on iron ore over the supernormal profit made by the mines owners.

According to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the mines owners are getting abnormal profit as the price of iron ore have increased manifold in the international market. Annoyed over the provisions of the Bill, Patnaik has already remarked that it is as ‘too little’, ‘too late’.

“I’m informed that the new Bill has provision for 26 per cent profit sharing by coal companies and an additional 10 per cent royalty for iron ore. I had asked the Prime Minister for 50 per cent of the supernormal profit made by the private mine owners,” Patnaik said.

The State has asked for much more than what has been announced by the Central Government. The Chief Minister said, “Introduction of new tax and value addition clauses would have helped the poor people in the State.” Now the State Government would once again harp on the issues, sources said.

Nayak plays nameplates politics

Daily Pioneer reports

Urban Development Minister Sharada Nayak has come under sharp criticism allegedly for indulging in nameplate politics and targeting Ajit Das, his predecessor and deceased MLA of Rourkela.

BJP MLA Karendra Majhi raised a point of order in the State Assembly alleging that the administration of Rourkela, at the instance of Nayak, has been trying to disrupt the process of installation of a statue of Das by the residents of Chhend at a social home, which was constructed in his MLA LAD fund. Majhi condemned the approach of Nayak for indulging in nasty politics.

Sources said the Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) had served a notice to the Gopabandhu Welfare Trust (GWT), which is in charge of the management of the Gopabandhu Kalyan Mandap, Chhend, to hand over its possession to the RDA.

The RDA alleged that the trust has failed in managing the social home and has been engaged in illegal construction inside it. Significantly, although the GWT has been managing the Kalyan Mandap for about eight years, the RDA stepped in through the said notice for the first time and asked to hand over the possession without giving any show-cause, the sources added.

According to sources, however, respecting the local public desire, the trust management had decided to set up a statue of Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das and Ajit Das in the premises of the social home since Ajit Das had taken a leading role in construction of the social home to fulfil the need of the local people by contributing `13 lakh from his LAD fund and arranging another `10 lakh from the then Rajya Sabha member Dilip Ray’s MP fund.

Sources said installation of statue of Ajit Das was not well received by Nayak, as a result of which in his direction the RDA has served the notice to hand over possession.

Ironically, the notice gave only three days’ time to hand over so that the trust management cannot take the shelter of court. The notice was challenged in the High Court, and a status quo order was granted over the matter by the court, besides serving a notice to the RDA.

Apart from the recent controversy over the Ajit Das statue issue, several other cases have also come to fore wherein the authorities, allegedly at the instance of Nayak, have attempted to remove the nameplates ex-MLAs and ex-MPs from different monuments. It is alleged that even though hundreds of his nameplates and of his other party colleagues have been installed in different small projects in the last seven years, Nayak has not been able tolerate the existence of a few nameplates of leaders of other political parties in the city.

The name of Dilip Ray, which was figuring under the statue of the Biju Patnaik statue at the Sector 2 square, has of late, been disfigured. Similarly, the nameplate Ajit Das under the statue of Madhusudan Das at the Chhend square was thrown out during the shifting of the statue for expansion of road. The statue was relocated and the nameplate of Das was thrown in the waste.

Pollution board slaps closure notice on Rourkela Steel Plant units

A report in Times of India

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha state pollution control board (SPCB) slapped closure notices on the captive power and sinter units of the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) on Monday, signaling crisis in the Central PSU.

Though RSP sources maintained they had not yet received official communication in this regard, the SPCB here said the "Sundergarh district collector, as per law, will implement the decision with immediate effect". "We kept the plant under watch for two years. We did not give RSP consent to operate, but had not decided to serve closure notice during this period keeping in mind that it is a major PSU and a source of livelihood to thousands of people. But as the situation did not improve we had no choice but to issue the closure notice," SPCB member secretary Sidhanta Das told TOI. He said in the past two years the SPCB had conducted physical inspection of the plant and talked to officials, hoping the RSP to reduce the pollution level, but in vain.

The plants to be closed in the RSP complex are a 1959-made 50 mw captive power unit and a sinter plant. A RSP spokesperson when contacted said the decision would not affect the production "much". "We are going to make fresh appeal before the SPCB for reconsideration of its directive," the spokesperson said.

Informed sources said closure of one of the three medium pressure boilers in the CPP-1 and the sinter plant-1 may have a chain reaction on other units, leading to fall in steel production. "Steam produced in the old CPP is presently used almost like oxygen for the four blast furnaces. From this the impact of CPP closure can be imagined," said an RSP official. He said sinter plant closure could further affect the plant, as it "converts iron ores into the desired size, fit for feeding the blast furnaces".

The RSP, built in 1983, produces around 7,000 tons of hot metal (liquid iron) daily, 6,300 tons of crude steel and about 5,800 tons of finished steel. The plant has another CPP of 120 mw capacity. It has also a second sinter plant, which for the time being would be used for feeding the four blast furnaces, the sources pointed out.

The RSP is currently undergoing another phase of modernization at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 11,000 crore. "Most of the works like the 5th blast furnace, sinter plant-3, ore bedding and blending unit and a new coke oven unit would be ready by 2012," the plant spokesman said.

Elaborate security for Howrah-Mumbai track

Times of India reports

JAMSHEDPUR: With the Railway Board announcing resumption of night train service from Monday, the Chakradharpur rail division has made an elaborate security arrangement to preempt any sabotage threat, if any, on the Chakradharpur-Rourkela section of busy Howrah-Mumbai line.

In the wake of passenger trains running for the first time at night on the said section after about 19 months, the railway authorities have taken all security issues into account in run up to the actual start of the service. "In addition to RPF personnel, we have paramilitary personnel on duty to man the track security (in vulnerable zone) on the Chakradharpur-Rourkela section," said RPF commandant A K Chaurasiya, Chakradharpur division.

Three CRPF companies have been deployed at six specific railway stations Jaraikela, Goelkera, Sonuwa, Lotapahar, Posaita and Bhalulata in Maoist-hit West Singhbhum district. "Responsibility of track security has been entrusted with the state government agencies and CRPF personnel will jointly work with the GRP and local police for area domination (track security)," said the commandant.

In addition to this, four companies of special RPF commandoes will travel escorting the passengers on trains crossing the said section. While, a pilot engine with CRPF personnel on board will escort the passenger train from Chakradharpur to Rourkela. Initially, Tatanagar-Bilaspur passenger train and lone express train Howrah-Kurla Shalimar Express will run at night on the announced section.

Tatanagar railway station superintendent R Choudhary said, "Bilaspur passenger and Shalimar Express will run at 75KMPH till Rourkela at night. We hope, gradually other trains will also run at night but we need to wait for the train service resumption on Kharagpur-Tatanagar section."

Authorities at the divisional office said RPF officials are in talks with the Bengal government to seek track security, as the railway force has given its nod for resumption of train service on Kharagpur-Tatanagar section. "The railway has no issue with the security. It is up to the Bengal government to respond since it has to man track security and hopefully, things will be soon resolved," said an RPF official.

Amway launches new office in Rourkela

Daily Pioneer reports

Amway India Enterprises unveiled its first office on Friday. The state-of-the-art office would capture the untapped business potential of this industrial belt as well as of western Odisha. With this, Amway’s total number of offices in the State has gone up to five, the other four being in Bhubaneshwar, Baleswar, Jeypore and Brahmapur.

Spread over a 550-sqft area, the new two-storied Amway Touch Point office would house a computerised customer service and product ordering facility and distributor waiting area. It is also equipped with training and counselling room. Distributors residing in Rourkela, Jharsuguda, and surrounding areas would now be able to find information and training on the existing and new quality products from the stable of Amway and order for products across the counter.

Speaking at a Press conference post the inauguration of the office, Amway Vice-President (East) Diptarag Bhattacharjee said, “Odisha, a State with high growth potential, has been continuously witnessing a steady double-digit growth over the last three years. The first eleven months in 2011 has seen our business grow by 34 per cent over the same period in 2010. We are quite hopeful that our presence in Rourkela would drive huge growth, catapulting Odisha to one of the largest contributors of Amway East.”

In a message, Amway India MD&CEO William S Pinckney said, “The opening up of the office with exclusive product training facility in Rourkela is a clear indication of the impressive growth of Amway’s business in Odisha and our commitment to support and be closer to our business owners and customers.”

Rourkela-Choudwar industrial route in offing

Daily Pioneer reports

The State Government has began the building process for the Rourkela-Choudwar railway and road corridor with the IDCO having already commenced land acquisition formalities. The corridor will facilitate goods transportation from industrial units and mines in the region.

According to IDCO Chairman-cum-Managing Director Priyabrata Patnaik, the route will have 163 km of railway track and 465 km of road. As many as 308 minor bridges and 77 major bridges will be constructed at different points of the project.

Sources said that this project involves development of rail and road in elaborate manner. It also includes water supply along with other infrastructural facilities. The industrial corridor will provide six-lane roadways with two-track railway lines.

This corridor will solve the problems relating to inward and outward transportation of goods and minerals under the common infrastructure facilities. It will pass through the heart of coal mining areas which have a reserve of about 65 billion tonnes.

The project will cover 17 large and mega-industries along with 57 other units.

U-Turn: Curbs on night trains on

New Indian Express reports

BHUBANESWAR/ROURKELA: A day after it announced resumption of train services in the night along Maoist-hit regions of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Sunday said restriction on movement of passenger trains will continue.

The South Eastern Railway (SER), which too had made an announcement to this effect, made a U-turn throwing passengers into a tizzy. Resumption of movement of trains during night through Kharagpur-Tata, Kharagpur-Adra and Rourkela-Chakradharpur sections would have meant passenger trains going back to normal schedule. However, that will have to wait. At least till December 14.

A communication (bulletin No. 107) from SER in the morning said trains would run in the night but another communication reached local authorities in Rourkela on Sunday afternoon informing that the decision stood cancelled. A senior official at the Chakradharpur Division told a local television channel that the decision was put on hold due to intelligence inputs received from the West Bengal Government.

Talking to this paper, Chief Public Relations Officer of SER Soumitra Mozumdar contradicted his divisional officials saying no such decision was taken to resume trains. He, however, said there are strong possibilities that night train services would resume very soon.

The ECoR, on its part, said unavoidable circumstances led to the continuation of restriction on train movement in the three sections between 10 pm and 5 am and the restriction will remain in force till December 14.

Sources, however, said it was the West Bengal Government which went on the backfoot over security arrangement for allowing night movement of trains in the Maoist-hit regions which led to the confusion.

“It was only after the Mamata Banerjee Government had made a commitment to this effect that a decision was taken and orders were passed from the Rail Board,” sources said adding since the Maoists are desperate to avenge death of Kishenji, the Bengal Government is no mood to take any chance.

A fresh assessment of the law and order situation in the Maoist-affected regions is expected sometime mid next week. Till December 14, all major trains passing by the route will have to abide by the restrictions.

Night train services resume on Sunday

New Indian Express reports

BHUBANESWAR: The East Coast Railways has decided to resume night train services in the Maoist-affected contiguous regions of Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal on Sunday. The trains which will route through the Kharagpur-Tata, Kharagpur-Adra and Rourkela-Chakradharpur sections will travel with adequate safety precautions and at a restricted speed of 75 km per hour between 10 pm and 5 am during the bandh called by the Maoists.

As a safety precaution, light engines and goods trains will be run before passenger trains during the nights.

According to the schedule released by the ECoR, the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express will run on normal route - the Cuttack-Bhadrak-Kharagpur-Tata-Jharsuguda route. So will the Haridwar-Puri Utkal Express which will arrive at Jharsuguda on December 12. The Tata-Jharsuguda-Tata Special train will be withdrawn from Monday.

Similarly, there will be no night regulation on the New Delhi-Puri Purushottam Express leaving New Delhi on December 11 nor will there be any restriction in New Delhi-Puri Nandankanan Express and New Delhi-Puri Duronto Express in East Central Railway zone.

Other trains such as Howrah-Koraput Samaleswari Express on both directions will run on normal timing.

The Puri-Patna Baidyanathdham Express, Puri-Guwahati Express, Puri-Darbhanga Express and Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Orissa Sampark Kranti Express will run on their scheduled timings.

The Chennai-Guwahati Express leaving Chennai on December 12 and Chennai-Dibrugarh Express leaving Chennai on December 15 will run as per the original schedule. The Patna-Ernakulam Express leaving Patna on December 15 will run on originally scheduled timings.

Kolkata-Rourkela DTDS air service launched

Daily Pioneer reports

First time in India a “Per Seat”, fixed cost, fixed schedule air service was launched between Kolkata and Rourkela by DTDS. The business travellers from across India can now expect to travel in style and comfort in charter planes.

DTDS announced plans to launch the service to the industrial city Rourkela from Kolkata, where passengers can book single seats on fixed rates and fly at fixed charter timings. Travellers from across India can fly to the Industrial city and return on the same day. DTDS charter flight timings connect morning flights reaching Kolkata from Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, and New Delhi. So travellers to Rourkela from anywhere in India or abroad can reach destinations in shortest time and catch connecting evening flights.

‘Government to reclaim unused land’

New Indian Express reports

ROUREKLA: The State Government was in the process of reclaiming unused land from various lessees, including the railways, and Central government agencies besides the encroachers, said Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patro on Monday. Land worth over Rs 10,000 crore would be reclaimed by the government and revenue officials would be made responsible to render services in a time frame, he added.

Addressing a gathering at the 32nd Annual Conference of the State Non-Gazette Revenue Field Officers’ Association with Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadei, Patro said new norms would be introduced to make revenue-related services easier and officials delaying files would face the music.

The Government was working to clear the mess over controversial land transfers, majority of which took place in the 1960s, adding that 429 new revenue circles would be formed. Each of the gram panchayats in scheduled areas would have a RI in addition to the 1,842 existing Revenue Circles, Patro stated.

Ghadei claimed that the State’s revenue grew four fold to Rs 16,000 crore, yet around Rs 22,000 crore was spent towards payment of salaries, pensions and interests on debts. The State’s revenue would be augmented to Rs 20,000 crore and this, Ghadei said, could be done as economic health of the rural pockets has improved. He went on to claim that per capita income in the State was on the rise.

Over 1,100 RIs from across the State participated in the conference which pressed for removal of discrepancies in pay structure of revenue officials and introduction of special allowances to members deployed in Maoist-hit areas.

CM worried over fatal mishaps at R'kela plant

Daily Pioneer reports

Concerned over the frequent accidents leading to deaths of workers in the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday urged the Union Steel Minister to direct the concerned authorities to stop recurrence of incidents.

Patnaik, in a letter to Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma, ueged him to direcct the RSP authorities to ensure adherence to safety standards in all work procedures and prevent accidents in future.

Describing the regular accidents as unfortunate, he also told him that the RSP authorities must also be asked to take care of the injured and the next of the kin of those killed in the accidents.

Two accidents occurred within two days at the RSP during the construction work for the modernisation of the plant leading to the deaths of two workers. While on Friday one worker lost his life, on Sunday a contractual labourer was killed and another seriously injured.

Drawing the attention of the Union Steel Minister to the two incidents, Patnaik said that since the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) is the largest steelmaker in the country and is a Maharatna company, it is expected that the authorities would be adhering world-class safety standards.

"Unless this is done, we may see recurrence of such tragic incidents which is just not acceptable in this age," he added.

Rourkela to be Municipal Corporation

The process of upgrading Rourkela Municipality to a Corporation has gained momentum in the recent times. A proposal regarding this was unanimously passed in a monthly meeting held at the Municipality Office on Wednesday.

The meet which was held in the Assembly Hall of Rourkela Municipality and was presided by Chairperson Smt. Rashmibala Mishra had discussions on several issues like upgrading Rourkela Municipality into a Corporation by including several regions of South Rourkela, repairing of PHED water pipes, water supply to each and every ward, improving sanitation facilities etc. Noted lawyer and Councilor Shri Ramesh Bal forwarded the proposal of Municipal Corporation stating that Rourkela Municipality has around 2.73 lakhs of population and by including South Rourkela it will rise up to 3.25 lakhs, which satisfies the criterea. Since South Rourkela doesn't comes under the administration of either Municipality or Gram Panchayat, it is devoid of any basic amenities, which creates a lot of problem for the people residing there.
Replying to the proposal EO Shri Bijay Swain informed that the State has been informed of the proposal , through the District Collector, to which Shri Bal demanded that Rourkela MLA and Urban Development Minister Shri Sarada Nayak should take appropriate steps so that the people of Rourkela can get Municipal Corporation as a New Year Gift. After prolonged discussion, this proposal was passed with everbody's consent.