7 yrs on, Talcher rail coal corridor in limbo

Seven years after announcement of setting up a common railway corridor for the Talcher Coalfields, the project is struggling to take off, thanks to lackadaisical attitude of the officials.

The Rs 5,000-crore project is still hanging fire, which was announced in 2012 for the coal bearing areas of Angul-Talcher-Chhendipada, covering 85 km.

Senior officials of Ministry of Coal are worried over such inordinate delay as the railway coal corridor was to cater 15 Million Ton Per Annum (MTPA) coal from the Talcher coal blocks. At least 10 coal blocks in Talcher area like Chhendipada, Baitarani West, Machhkund, Utkal Coal Blocks, New Patrapada, Nuagaon, Telisahi Radhikapur are to be linked with the rail