The Odisha government will apprise Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the progress made on construction of Paradip-Raipur-Ranchi oil pipeline tomorrow through an interaction arranged under the multi-purpose and multi-modal platform, PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation).
The platform is aimed at addressing commonman’s grievances, and simultaneously monitoring and reviewing important programmes and projects of the Centre as well as projects flagged by state governments.
There is resistance from the activists, farmers and land owners for the pipeline project at different locations especially in Angul and Sambalpur districts of the state.
An a recent meeting, the state home department was directed to initiate immediate action to address the issues relating to felling of standing trees in the proposed pipeline stretch in Angul, Redhakhol and Samabalpur forest divisions in Angul and Sambalpur districts.
The proposed pipeline will traverse the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The 1,067 km pipeline being built at a cost of Rs 1,793 crore will transfer petroleum products from the proposed Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) refinery in Paradip to Jatni, Jharsuguda, Ranchi, Raipur and Korba areas. The pipeline comprises main section of Paradip- Jatni-Sambalpur-Saraipalli-Raipur and branch lines of Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Khunti and Saraipalli-Korba.
Odisha chief secretary who will attend the web based meeting will also apprise the Prime minister about the progress of doubling of Bhubaneswar-Delang-Puri railway line and four laning of Bhubaneswar-Puri section of National Highway-203.
It is decided that the rail safety inspection scheduled for June 26 and 27 of Bhubaneswar-Delang-Puri railway line should be completed without any further delay to commission the project before Nabakalebar and complete all the residual finishing works by June 30.
Prasanta Patnaik