Reliance Infra debuts in railway space, bags EPC contract
Mumbai, April 19: Reliance Infrastructure Limited EPC has received the Letter of Award (LOA) from Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) for its maiden railway project worth Rs 774 crore for the construction of third rail line between Jimidipeta and Gotlam on East Coast Railway on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis, the company said on Thursday.
The 105 km-long line will run in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The scope of work includes civil, track, electrification, signalling and telecom works of the rail line. The work also includes construction of 13 railway stations and staff quarters.
"RInfra has strong credential in successful execution of complex EPC projects in various sectors including railway and metro space. This order marks our foray into Railway EPC segment and further strengthens Reliance Infrastructure Limited’s bona fide to lead in construction of rail transportation systems. The company is well positioned in the emerging railway market and poised to capture a sizable share," said Arun Gupta, CEO, Reliance Infrastructure EPC.
The railway line between Jimidipeta to Gotlam is part of Titlagarh-Vizianagaram section. At present, Titlagarh-Vizianagaram is a double line (electrified) track section of Jharsuguda- Visakhapatnam line.
It is an important rail link between Jharsuguda and Visakhapatnam, and serves as a bypass rail link to Howrah-Mumbai trunk route and Howrah-Chennai main line of East Coast region.
It also caters to the goods and passenger traffic from Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur and Raygada with Koraput on the Kottavalsa-Kirandaul line. The line traverses through western Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. This line will lead to development around the entire area, the statement said.
Indian Railways has a plan outlay of more than Rs 7 lakh crores in the coming five years towards decongestion of railway line (doubling), new railway line, high speed railway, station development and others.
Reliance Infrastructure Limited is keenly pursuing project opportunities worth around Rs 2 lakh crore to increase its EPC order book to Rs 50,000 crore by FY19.
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Karnataka leadership row intensifies with minister's 'dog' remark
Bengaluru (PTI): The simmering leadership row in Karnataka took a sharp turn on Tuesday after Minister H C Mahadevappa made remarks invoking a High Court observation on stray dogs, drawing reactions from senior Congress leaders and the Opposition.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Monday, Mahadevappa, considered close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in cryptic remarks said, "Where is the discussion on leadership issue? The High Court says time and again to catch stray dogs and confine them. Here the political leadership is strong."
When asked to clarify whom he was referring to with the dog metaphor, the social welfare minister said he was only citing the High Court order.
"I was only referring to what the High Court had said. I do not know how you people perceive it," he added.
Mahadevappa's remarks come amid the ongoing speculation over the leadership tussle between Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar. The minister also dismissed talk of any change at the top.
On the issue of leadership change, Mahadevappa said, "Who can give direction to the party high command? Can you and me direct it? It's they who can give us direction and not the other way round. What if tail wags the dog?"
Meanwhile, Shivakumar said he would not comment on Mahadevappa's remarks.
"I am not ready to react to Mahadevappa's statement. Not just him, but anybody. I had said this before as well. Siddaramaiah and our Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge have also spoken on our leadership issue," Shivakumar, who is also state Congress president, told reporters on Tuesday.
He added, "It is a decision taken by me, Siddaramaiah and the party high command. Time will answer what the decision was. There is nothing hidden in this dealing. Siddaramaiah himself will answer the people when the time comes."
Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh said he was unaware of the context of Mahadevappa's remark.
"I don't have the information whom Mahadevappa referred to as dogs," the former Lok Sabha member told reporters.
However, he added, "devout Congress leaders are not stray canines but honest dogs. They never ditch those who favoured them. They clear the debts of their master."
Congress MLC B K Hariprasad likened Shivakumar to a railway engine.
"Shivakumar is like the engine taking along the entire train but when it reaches a destination, he makes lots of noise and rouses vendors over there," he said while addressing mediapersons.
Meanwhile, taking a swipe at Mahadevappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said, "the statement construes that all the leaders in Congress are dogs."
"Congress leaders like dogs very much. Mahadevappa has subtly explained whether the dog is wagging its tail or tail is wagging the dog."
