Bhubaneswar: The Ministry of Railways has invited tenders for 30.62 km stretch between Pallahara and Mahuldiha of Talcher-Bimalagarh New Broad Gauge (BG) rail link project in Odisha.
The Talcher-Bimalagarh rail link was initially sanctioned in 2003-04 but faced numerous delays over the years due to land acquisition issues, legal hurdles and other challenges. Despite these setbacks, approximately 26% of the project has already been completed, with 20 km of the rail line constructed between Talcher and Sunakhani. Additionally, ongoing construction has extended the rail link another 30.5 km towards Khamar in Angul district, with a goal of completing the project at the earliest.
The rail link, spanning total 149.78 km, is set to connect Talcher with Bimalagarh and the invitation for tender covers vital work including earthworks, bridge construction, station facilities, drainage systems, and more. The estimated cost for the tender is Rs 726.129 crore.
In an effort to accelerate construction, work has been initiated from both ends of the rail line at Talcher and Bimalagarh. The Bimalagarh-Mahuldiha section is already under construction, and the recent floating of a tender for the remaining 30.62 km stretch between Pallahara and Mahuldiha is expected to expedite progress significantly.
The Talcher-Bimalagarh project, which has faced delays of nearly 12 years, is now gaining momentum with proactive measures taken by the East Coast Railway (ECoR). These measures include close coordination with state and district authorities to resolve issues related to land acquisition and litigation.
A key milestone was achieved when the ECoR engineering team successfully carried out the final detonation in the 840 meter long tunnel at Baruan Hill, located between Sunakhani and Samal stations in 2021. This breakthrough overcomes significant geographical challenges and is a crucial step forward in the project’s progression.
Once completed, the rail link will reduce the distance between Raurkela and Talcher by approximately 126 km. It will facilitate transportation of export-quality iron ore, boosting the local economy and benefiting industries in the region as well as the remote locations in Angul, Deogarh and Sundargarh districts.
