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Journalism of Courage
Railway ministry clears pact for over bridges
The railway ministry has approved the standardised memorandum of understanding for rail over bridges ROBs to be undertaken on a build-operate-transfer BOT basis in various states. This was announced by the minister of state for railway, Ram Naik, recently.
According to Naik, ROBs, with an investment of Rs 40,000 crore, will have to be undertaken all over the country. With the standardised MoU in place, this will now be possible.
Gadkari said that the first phase of the construction of 10 ROBs with an investment of Rs 102.5 crore will be completed by September, 1999. The work had been undertaken jointly by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation MSRDC and Indian Railway Construction Company Ircon.
The second phase of the proposed ROBs would cost Rs 200 crore and would be completed by March, 2000. The government had identified 90 places where ROBs can be constructed, of which 29 have been taken up on BOT basis. A total investment ofRs 1,200 crore will be required for the 90 ROBs.
A study group comprising PWD secretaries MV Patil, AB Pawar and MSRDC joint managing director Pramod Bongirwar will submit their report regarding the feasibility of constructing ROBs at other locations.
The minister said that Ircon has raised funds through loans. MSRDC will collect the toll and repay the amount on a deferred payment basis.
SCI acquires product tanker from Hyundai
Mumbai, Nov 21: The Shipping Corporation of India SCI has acquired a product tanker from Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea on Saturday.
The vessel which has been named Suvarna Swarajya8217; to commemorate the 50th year of India8217;s independence, is the first in the series of two tankers to be acquired from Hyundai. The second product tanker is expected to be delivered by the end of December.
The vessel has a deadweight of 32,940 MT at a draft of 11.3 meters with service speed of 14.2 knots and can carry about 37,000 CBM of petroleum products or crude oil.
It hasthe capability to discharge cargo at the rate of 4,000 CBM per hour. The vessel has been designed with complete double side and double bottom to meet the latest International Maritime Rules.
According to a SCI communique, the length and beam of vessel have been fixed to suit even the small ports along the Indian coast. Built to the most stringent international regulations including the US Coast Guard rules and OPA 90, the vessel has been assigned the highest class notation by the Bureau Veritas classification.
The vessel has also been given International Safety Management Certificate SMC. An integrated modern computer system has been installed for data communication from ship to shore as well as for spare parts control, planned maintenance and the ship8217;s stability/strength calculations.
