Bhubaneswar, January 21: East Coast Railway (ECoR) General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal on Wednesday met Chief Secretary Anu Garg and held constructive and wide-ranging discussions on matters related to the progress of railway infrastructure development in the State.
During the meeting, the General Manager shared an overview of issues that commonly arise during execution of largescale railway works and emphasised the importance of their timely resolution.
These include matters related to land acquisition, forest rights, removal of encroachments, shifting of utilities, and early disposal of long pending legal cases. He also underlined the need for close coordination among various agencies to facilitate smooth execution of works such as construction of Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and other allied infrastructure.
The General Manager acknowledged and appreciated the continued support being extended by the State Government in facilitating railway works across Odisha. He expressed confidence that sustained cooperation and further strengthening of inter departmental coordination would open up greater scope for expeditious implementation of ongoing works as well as timely grounding of future railway infrastructure initiatives in the State.
He further highlighted that timely policy level decisions and issuance of necessary operational instructions play a vital role in enabling smooth implementation of infrastructure projects. Enhanced availability of construction resources, expeditious statutory clearances, and early resolution of procedural matters, he noted, would greatly contribute towards adherence to project timelines and avoidance of delays.
The Chief Secretary, appreciated the concerns placed during the meeting and assured that the issues raised would be examined in consultation with the concerned departments and district administrations.
She reiterated the State Government’s commitment to continue extending all possible support for early resolution of issues and for ensuring timely completion of railway infrastructure projects, which are vital for improving connectivity and supporting the overall development of Odisha.
