Bhubaneswar:3/8/17: Odisha government framed a policy decision in exempting the railways premium cess and incidental charges towards construction of over-bridges in rivers and water-bodies. A decision in this regard was approved by the cabinet in extending the cess relief to the railways for over-bridge projects. “Grant of permission for use of rivers, canals, nullahs, roads for construction of over-bridges by the railways would be free of premium and would be free of incidental charges”, according to the cabinet decision. However the premium waiving would be subject to payment of capitalized value of land revenue. At present there is no policy decision of the state government to realize or not to realize any amount from the railways towards grant of permission for over bridge construction. In the absence of policy and clear-cut guideline, the field level revenue authorities are charging revenue, capitalized value of revenue land, incidental charges while processing such proposals. However such permissive use is different from lease in the sense that no right or title over the land is given to them
