Bhubaneswar: A delegation of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and demanded quick steps for starting passenger train services on Paradip-Haridaspur line at the earliest for the benefit of the people of Kendrapada in Odisha.
The delegation, which submitted a memorandum to Vaishnaw in New Delhi, said the railway line between Paradip and Haridasur is open for goods and commercial traffic but has not been opened for passengers.
Noting that this railway line connects people of Kendrapada to the railway network, the BJD MPs said, “We request you to kindly start the passenger services for Paradip-Haridaspur railway line which will ensure that after 75 years of Indian independence, the people of Kendrapada would benefit from railway connectivity.”
In their memorandum, the BJD MPs also claimed that railways and their development in Odisha have been historically neglected in the last 75 years. Successive governments have not given adequate attention to the state in terms of railway connectivity, they said in the memorandum, copy of which was released to media.
The delegation pointed out that the Odisha government has been providing free land and 50 per cent project cost for various railway projects in the state.
The delegation included Arun Patnaik, Sasmit Patra, Sulata Deo, Mamata Mohanta, Niranjan Bisi and Sujeet Kumar.
