Infrastructure of Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh State PSC (CGPSC) Preparation: All subjects - CGPSC (Chhattisgarh) PDF Download

Infrastructure

• Since its formation in November 2000, Chhattisgarh has become a significant investment destination, attracting interest from many corporate entities.
• To enhance its appeal as an investment hub, the state needs to boost infrastructure development, particularly focusing on creating a world-class road, rail, and aviation network for improved connectivity with major cities and within the state.
• The Bastar Raoghat project, essential for transporting mineral resources efficiently to industries, needs urgent implementation to support economic growth.
• Chhattisgarh's current teledensity is 3 telephones per 100 citizens, which is much lower than the national average of 3.38 and significantly behind the USA's 66.45. The state should aim to improve its teledensity to around 50 per 100 to align with other Southeast Asian nations.
• The state also needs to improve its per capita power consumption, which is currently 284 KW (2005-06) compared to the national average of 631 KW (2005-06). Emphasis should be placed on rural electrification to make Chhattisgarh a power surplus state and a national power supplier.
• Development of world-class highways, bridges, and other infrastructure should be pursued through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) or Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) models.
• The existing transport infrastructure is inadequate for the growing population. Efforts should be made to improve public transportation and ensure connectivity to all villages, with a vision of establishing Chhattisgarh as a logistics hub on the Mumbai-Kolkata Highway.
• Chhattisgarh’s rich historical and cultural heritage should be leveraged to enhance its tourism appeal. The state needs to develop its tourist infrastructure, including roads, vehicles, and hotels, to become a top tourist destination by 2022, similar to Kerala.

Infrastructure Development for Inclusive Growth

• High-quality infrastructure is crucial for accelerating growth and attracting investment to backward regions. This includes developing roads, ensuring reliable power and water supply, enhancing the rail network, establishing dry ports for trade, improving airports and air services for nationwide connectivity, and expanding telecommunications and broadband access.
• The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will strive to build consensus among government and society on the significance of infrastructure development.
• CII will collaborate with policymakers to identify and address bottlenecks, and advocate for infrastructure development through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in the state.
• CII will also work with the government to develop world-class infrastructure at various locations throughout the state.

Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC)

• The Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC) is a government body established under the Companies Act, 1956, and operates under the Department of Commerce & Industry. It serves as the primary agency for promoting and facilitating industrial development in Chhattisgarh.
• Key functions of CSIDC include:
  • Promoting and facilitating industrial growth
  • Supporting export activities
  • Conducting industrial potential surveys
  • Allocating land for industries
  • Fostering entrepreneurship
  • Providing training
  • Managing public-private partnerships (PPP)
  • Developing, maintaining, and upgrading industrial areas
• CSIDC plays a crucial role in developing small, medium, and large industries in the state. It helps overcome development challenges by providing support services and addressing obstacles. The corporation is responsible for planning, implementing, and maintaining industrial infrastructure.
• Notable contributions include the development of major industrial hubs such as Urla, Siltara, Sirgitti, and Tifra, along with proposed projects like the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC), Information Technology (IT) Park, and Mega Food Park. Additionally, CSIDC facilitates the supply of raw materials (e.g., iron, steel, coal) to local small-scale industries, and it offers testing, certification services, and manufactures furniture and agricultural tools.

Chhattisgarh Transport Department

• Chhattisgarh Transport Department has been a trailblazer in leveraging Information Technology to offer citizen-centric services.
• The department initiated computerization a decade ago by introducing VAHAN and SARATHI, thereby digitizing all managerial functions.
• Progressively, all Transport Department procedures have been automated, facilitating data access for citizens through the Internet or SMS.
• Chhattisgarh holds the distinction of being the first state to effectively implement Vahan & Sarathi statewide.
• The state features 27 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) strategically dispersed to enhance public convenience and cater to the local vehicle population.

Chhattisgarh Transport Department

• The Chhattisgarh Transport Department has been a leader in utilizing Information Technology to offer citizen-focused services. The computerization of the department began 10 years ago with the introduction of the VAHAN and SARATHI systems, alongside the automation of all managerial functions within the Transport Department. 
• Over time, the department's processes have been increasingly computerized, with data made accessible to citizens via the Internet or SMS. Chhattisgarh was the first state to successfully implement the Vahan and Sarathi systems statewide.
• The state has 27 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) strategically located to ensure public convenience and to manage the vehicle population effectively within the region.

Transport System

• Chhattisgarh's road network primarily consists of two-lane or single-lane roads that connect major cities. The state has eleven national highways totaling 3,078.40 km in length. However, many of these highways are in poor condition, with most offering only two lanes for slow-moving traffic. 
• Additionally, several national highways exist only on paper and have not been fully converted into four-lane highways. These include NH 130A New, 130B New, 130C New, 130D New, 149B New, 163A New, 343 New, and 930 New. Other national highways include NH 6, NH 16, NH 43, NH 12A, NH 78, NH 111, NH 200, NH 202, NH 216, NH 217, NH 221, NH 30, and NH 930 New. The network of state highways and major district roads adds another 8,031 km.
• Chhattisgarh has one of the lowest National Highway densities in Central and South India (12.1 km per 100,000 population), similar to the northeastern state of Assam.

Rail Network

• Most of the railway network in Chhattisgarh falls under the South East Central Railway Zone of Indian Railways, with Bilaspur serving as the zonal headquarters. The key railway junctions in the state are Bilaspur Junction, Durg, and Raipur, which are the starting points for many long-distance trains. These junctions are well-connected to major cities across India.
• Chhattisgarh contributes significantly to Indian Railways, accounting for the highest freight loading in the country, with one-sixth of the railway's revenue coming from the state. The rail network in Chhattisgarh spans 1,108 km, with a third track already commissioned between Durg and Raigarh. Several new railway lines are under construction, including the Dalli-Rajhara–Jagdalpur line, Pendra Road-Gevra Road line, Raigarh-Mand Colliery to Bhupdeopur line, and Barwadih-Chirmiri line.
• Freight trains primarily serve the coal and iron ore industries along the east-west corridor (Mumbai-Howrah route). However, there is a lack of passenger services to the northern and southern parts of Chhattisgarh. Additionally, the current train stations are often overcrowded and poorly maintained for passengers.

Rail Network Expansion

• Chhattisgarh currently has a railway network that spans 1,187 kilometers (738 miles), which is less than half the national average rail density. The state is undertaking the construction of new rail lines, including the 546-kilometer Rajhara-Rowghat rail project, the 311-kilometer East and East-West Rail Corridors, and the 140-kilometer Rowghat-Jagdalpur rail project.
• To further expand the railway tracks in the state, the Chhattisgarh government has decided to form a joint venture company with the Ministry of Railways. This decision was made during a state cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on February 5, 2016. 
• An MoU will soon be signed between the state’s Commerce and Industries Department and the railway ministry. Under this MoU, the state government will hold a 51% stake, while the railways will hold the remaining 49%. The proposed joint venture company will be responsible for identifying and implementing viable rail projects in the state.

Air Infrastructure

• The air infrastructure in Chhattisgarh is relatively underdeveloped compared to other states. Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur is the only airport offering scheduled commercial air services. A significant reduction in sales tax on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) from 25% to 4% in 2003 led to a sharp increase in passenger flow, which grew by 58% between 2011 and November 2012.
• However, major regions in the north and south of the state, as well as industrial cities like Bilaspur, Korba, and Raigarh, lack airline services. The majority of the population in these areas cannot take advantage of low-cost airlines due to poor road connectivity and high taxi fares. To address this, the state government signed an MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in July 2013 to develop Raigarh Airport as the state's second airport for domestic flights.

Chhattisgarh State Wide Area Network (CG-SWAN)

• The Chhattisgarh State Wide Area Network (CG-SWAN) is an ambitious project aimed at providing the state with a robust information technology backbone. This network will be used for carrying voice, data, and video traffic, facilitating interdepartmental communication and data sharing across the state. CG-SWAN will be a secure, fast, reliable, and cost-effective network connecting all 146 blocks in the state through a hybrid network comprising MPLS leased lines, RF, and other network technologies.
• The project will enable real-time online interaction among government departments and agencies, improving workflow processes and accelerating decision-making. CG-SWAN will also serve as a foundation for the effective implementation of eGovernance projects throughout the state.