Bhubaneswar: Commerce & Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu has written a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw requesting him to sanction a new railway line between Bargarh and Nuapada, via Padampur.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in a public meeting announced that Central Government has sanctioned the project and the same was also highlighted by him on social media, Sahu said.
“Since the year 2018, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and our Government have been requesting Ministry of Railways to sanction the important railway line between Bargarh and Nuapada, via Padampur. The project has a Rate of Return (RoR) of 17.31% as per study undertaken by East Coast Railway and communicated to Ministry of Railways,” Sahu stated.
“This railway project can offer an important communication link to the people of the two districts of Odisha and act as a potential catalyst for rapid economic development of Western Odisha. With this new line, the Western Odisha region will get a shorter and quicker connectivity with the Coastal Odisha through the Khurda – Balangir line.”
The Railway Board asked the State Government to contribute free land and RR cost for land acquisition for considering the project. And on this request, the CM approved not only free land for the entire project (Private, Government and Forest Land) but also pledged Rs 300 crore towards construction of the project, so that it becomes even more lucrative for Indian Railways to sanction the project, her letter read.
“Despite Odisha Govt coming forward to offer with all cooperation, the important project is still waiting to advance from paper work and surveys through other agencies. It may be noted that Ministry of Railways has suggested that State led JV, ORIDL, to undertake the surveys. Given the immense benefit the new line will offer, Indian Railways need to come forward, allocate funds and start the work immediately.”
Sahu urged the Railway ministry to sanction this railway line and entrust East Coast Railways to begin the land acquisition process and start construction work expeditiously.
“Odisha Govt has always prioritised infrastructure development in the Western and Southern Odisha and built Biju Expressway for accelerated economic development in the region. We request you to come forward and invest in this important railway line and be a partner in the socio-economic development of Padampur and adjoining region,” she added.
