CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the General Manager, East Coast Railways (ECoR), and Divisional Railway Manager, Khurda division, on allegations of inaction regarding development of Puri Railway Station.Treating a letter petition filed by one Arati Das of Puri as a PIL, the division bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice BN Mohapatra directed the Railway authorities to file their responses while appointing Additional Government Advocate Bikram Kishore Nayak as the amicus curiae to assist the Court in the matter.The petitioner alleged that Puri Railway Station was to be made a world class station on account of its religious and tourism importance. Provision for the same was made in the Railway Budget since 2009-10 but no action has been taken, thanks to an unholy nexus between the Railway officials, district administration, police and local politicians.Land belonging to the Railways has been encroached upon and slums like Jhadeswar Basti and Maheswar Basti have come up on it, the petition alleged.The station was constructed in 1898 and continues to languish in its old structure with a single track. With an increase in the number of regular trains to 39 pairs along with 100 to 150 special trains during Rath Yatra and other festivals, the load on the single track has grown immensely and is now fraught with risks.The Navakalebar Yatra of Lord Jagannath is scheduled to be observed in 2015. The festival will attract more than 20 lakh people and thus the station should be developed by then, the petitioner submitted.
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