Surveys to be made for 3 new rail lines

BHUBANESWAR: Surveys for three new railway lines have been announced in the 2012-13 railway budget. The lines for which surveys have been announced are, Raipur-Bargarh via Aarang, Tumgaon, Jhalap and Sairapali, Ambikapur-Jharsuguda to connect with Delhi main line and Ambikapur-Jharsuguda via Batuali, Sitapur, Pathalgaon and Kotba.  Proposals for two new lines, Raipur-Jharsuguda and Rayagada-Gopalpur have been sent for approval of the Planning Commission. The Begunia-Nayagarh section of Khurda-Balangir railway line and Talcher-Sunkhani of Talcher-Bimlagarh railway line have been targeted for completion in 2012-13.  Three trains have been extended. The Bhubaneswar-Jharsuguda Rajya Rani Express has been extended to Rourkela while the Howrah-Koraput express will be extended to Jagdalpur. Similarly, the Raipur-Kesinga passenger has been extended to Bhawanipatna. The State Government had requested for extension of nine passenger and express trains in the budget. Besides, the demand for increase in the frequency of 16 trains has been ignored. Though the State  had requested for three new electrification of feeder links, electrification proposal of only Titlagarh-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda and Angul-Sambalpur have been considered.