Ola launches services in Bhubaneswar

--Plans to expand operations into Cuttack, R’kela soon

BHUBANESWAR: Ola (formerly Olacabs), India’s leading mobile app for intermediate public transportation (IPT), on Thursday announced the launch of their services in the city.

Now city users would have access to the large network of cars present on the Ola platform to travel within the city. Customers could book a cab at a click of a button and track its location in real time. They can also book a cab by logging on to the Ola website or giving a phone call.

Ola senior manager Piyush Gupta said they were excited to launch the Ola app in Odisha, with Bhubaneswar as the first city in the State. “We have signed for 250 cabs for the city so far and are planning to increase the number of cabs on its platform to 750 within the next six months,” he added.

The company also said it would expand its operations into Cuttack and Rourkela on the coming days.

Odisha BJP hails Rail Budget

BHUBANESWAR: State unit of the BJP on Thursday hailed the Railway Budget and praised Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu for presenting a pro-people budget in the Lok Sabha. 

Party’s State vice president Pratap Sarangi admired the Centre for not hiking passenger fares and announcing several people-friendly facilities in the trains and stations.   

Terming the Rail Budget a brilliant, Sarangi said Prabhu’s maiden budget has given emphasis on modernisation, speed of train, electrification of long routes, addition of general compartments for poor passengers, cleanliness in trains and stations, bio-toilet system, e-booking from trains along with easy booking system, SMS alert to passengers about train timing and surveillance system in bogeys for security of women passengers. 

Sarangi said the NDA Government has allocated over Rs 1664 crore for development of the Railway sector of Odisha which much higher than the allocation of the previous UPA Government. 

BJP leader Rudra Pani criticised the BJD Government for sending its MPs with memorandum only three days before the presentation of the Railway Budget in the Lok Sabha. 

“It’s really funny to see that only nine BJD MPs out of its total strength 27 in the Parliament went to the Railway Minister (three days before the budget) to request him for adequate allocation of fund for Odisha,” said Pani, adding, “It shows that how the BJD is concerned about the welfare of the State.”      

Rs 1,000 cr for Sitalapalli wagon factory disappointing: Naveen

BHUBANESWAR: In his reaction to the Railway Budget, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday expressed unhappiness over the token allocation of Rs 1,000 crore only for the proposed railway wagon factory at Sitalapalli in Ganjam district. 

When there is a package for North East and Kashmir regions, Patnaik said, no such special package has been given for Odisha’s inaccessible and backward districts with zero railway network despite State’s commitment to provide land free of cost along with 50 per cent of the project cost.

However, the Chief Minister feel relaxed for some of the traditionally neglected railway sections like Sambalpur-Titilagarh and Sambalpur-Talcher which has been given due weightage in the budget.

He said there is an overall increase of about 53 per cent in the Budget outlay of Railways. Odisha has also been correspondingly given an increase in allotment. “Further, due allocations have been made for our ongoing major projects like Khurda-Bolangir, where State Government has committed to provide land free of cost and bear 50 per cent of the project cost,” he added.

Centre allots Rs 3112 cr for ECoR in Rail Budget

Centre allots Rs 3112 cr for ECoR in Rail Budget

The Centre has allotted Rs 3112.48 crore for the East Coast Railway (ECoR).

Railway projects in Odisha

SL No	Name of project	Budget allotted (in crores)
01	Angul-Sukinda New line, 98.7 km	75.00
02	Daitari-Bansapani New Line, 185 km	12.00
03	Haridaspur-Paradeep New Line, 82 km	36.8
04	Khurda Road-Bolangir, 289 km	195.00
05	Lanjigarh-Junagarh,	7.50
06	Talcher-Bimalagarh	280.00
07	Jharsuguda-Rengali Doubling	31.00
08	Sambalpur-Rengali Doubling	2.60
09	Khurda Road-Barang 3rd line	32.00
10	Cuttack-Barang	4.00
11	Sambalpur-Talcher Doubling	97.00
12	Delang-Puri Doubling	100.00
13	Sambalpur-Titilagarh Doubling	470.00
14	Raipur-Titilagarh	241.52
15	Bansapani-Jakhapura	513.00
16	Brundamal-Jharsugura Fly Over connection for joining down line	11.00
17	Barang-Rajathagarh Doubling	16.00
18	Bhadrak-Nirgundih 3rd Line	125.00
Total		2249.42
New Works
01	Vizianagaram-Samalpur	58.31
02	Jharapada-Budhapank 3rd & 4th line	45.73
03	Budhapank-Salegaon 3rd & 4th Line	34.30
04	Bhadrak-Vizianagaram 3rd line	120.05
05	Koraput-Singapur Road	37.50
06	Khurda-Vizianagaram Bye Pass	2.29
Total		298.18
Grand Total		2548.22
(A) Total Plan Outlay of ECoR		1576.01
(B) Extra Budget Resources		1536.47
Total Plan Outlay inclusive EBR (A+B) for ECoR		3112.48