Bhubaneswar: Political parties across the spectrum in Odisha on Friday voiced strong opposition to the Railway Board’s decision to exclude the Palasa–Ichchapuram rail section from the jurisdiction of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) and merge it with the proposed South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone, demanding an immediate rollback.
The stretch, currently administered under the Khurda Road division of ECoR, has been proposed to be brought under the Visakhapatnam division of the upcoming SCoR zone, according to an official communication issued by the Railway Board.
Raising concerns over the move, BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra wrote to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, opposing the jurisdictional revision. He argued that Odisha, a major contributor to Indian Railways’ freight revenue through coal, minerals, and industrial output, stands to lose both financially and administratively.
Patra warned that shifting high-revenue sections out of ECoR could weaken Odisha’s role in railway planning and prioritisation, while also impacting administrative efficiency. He urged the minister to ensure that no changes affecting the state are implemented without consultation with its stakeholders and public representatives.
The opposition was echoed by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das, who termed the decision as “step-motherly treatment” towards the state. In a social media post, he alleged that despite significant contributions to railway revenues, Odisha continues to be deprived of infrastructure development while its key assets are shifted elsewhere.
The Railway Board, in a letter issued by Executive Director Rameshwer Meena to the general managers of the concerned zones on Thursday, stated that the jurisdiction of the proposed SCoR zone had been reviewed. The revised plan includes the Palasa–Ichchapuram section under the Visakhapatnam division.
The move has also triggered concern within sections of the ruling BJP. Berhampur MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy described the rail stretch as the “economic artery” of southern Odisha and cautioned that its transfer could adversely affect logistics and revenue flows. He said he had written to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, seeking intervention and advocating for the creation of a new railway division at Berhampur instead.
BJP MLA Purna Chandra Sethi said a delegation of legislators would soon meet the Railway Minister to request a review of the decision.
Meanwhile, BJD leaders intensified their criticism, with former minister Atanu S Nayak opposing what he termed a “sinister move” to bifurcate ECoR. Party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty questioned the silence of BJP MPs from the state, alleging that Odisha’s interests had been compromised.
The issue has sparked a broader political debate over control of key railway assets and their implications for regional development, with parties demanding that the Centre reconsider the decision in the interest of the state.
