Ministry of Railways Designates Competent Authorities for Special Railway Projects in Odisha

The Ministry of Railways, East Coast Railway (Construction), issued Notification S.O. 962(E) on February 24, 2025, formally designating competent authorities for specific special railway projects within the State of Odisha. This notification, published in the Official Gazette, came into force upon its publication, marking a crucial step in the execution of significant infrastructure development. The instrument, a statutory notification, was issued by the Central Government in exercise of the powers conferred by Clause 7 (A) of Section 2 of the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989). It specifically authorizes an officer to perform the functions of a competent authority under the said Act for designated project areas.

The primary objective of this notification is to facilitate the smooth and efficient implementation of critical railway infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing safety and operational efficiency. The legislative intent behind such designations is to ensure that specific officials are legally empowered to oversee and execute projects that require specialized authority under the Railways Act. The notification addresses the administrative requirement for formally appointing a "Competent Authority" (an official empowered to perform specific functions under the Act) for new projects. The legislation provided: “In exercise of the powers, conferred by Clause 7 (A) of Section - 2 of the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989) the Central Government hereby authorize the officer mentioned in column (2) of the Table below as the Competent Authority to perform the function of such authority under said Act in respect of area of the Special Railway Project mentioned in column (3) of the Table below in the State of Odisha with effect from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette.”

Under the provisions of this notification, the Revenue Divisional Officer, Palasa, has been designated as the Competent Authority for two specific Special Railway Projects. These projects involve the construction of Road Over Bridges (ROBs), which are bridges carrying a road over a railway line, in lieu of closing manned Level Crossings (LCs), which are railway crossings with a human attendant. Specifically, the projects include the construction of an ROB in place of manned LC No. 359 at Km 664/11-13 between Mandasa Rd (MMS) and Sumadevi (SUDV) under the KUR-PSA Section, and another ROB in place of manned LC No. 372 at Km 675/3-5 between Sumadevi (SUDV) and Palasa (PSA) also under the KUR-PSA Section. These designations are crucial for the legal and administrative progression of these projects, which are vital for improving railway safety by eliminating direct road-rail intersections and streamlining traffic flow.

Keywords: Railways Act, Competent Authority, Road Over Bridge, Level Crossing, Ministry of Railways, Odisha, Infrastructure, Railway Safety, Notification

Geo Tags: India, Odisha
District: Not Applicable