New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: An important meeting was held in New Delhi to discuss steps needed to be taken to strengthen railway network in Odisha in an accelerated pace.
Discussions were held between Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw and MPs from Odisha on the development of the railway sector in Odisha, and smoothening the transport routes for people.
Dharmendra told reporters after the meeting that steps will soon be initiated to accelerate progress on key railway projects, with a special focus on expediting land acquisition for 4–5 priority rail lines in the state.
Noting that the railway sector has an important role to play in the development industrial and mineral sectors and connecting agricultural products to the national market, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special initiative has given priority to Odisha and strengthened the railway infrastructure.
In the last 11 years, Odisha has been getting a record amount of money in the railway budget under the Modi government compared to the previous government. The Railway is implementing new railway lines, doubling of railway lines, third line and fourth line worth about Rs 90,000 crore in Odisha, Railway Minister Vaishnaw said.
Detailed discussions were held on the work of Jharsuguda-Barakot railway line, Angul-Talcher new railway line, Bargarh Road-Nuapada Road-Raipur railway line, Talcher-Bimalagarh railway line, much-awaited Khurda-Balangir railway line, Sambalpur-Jarpada third railway line and fourth line.
The need to accelerate the process of land acquisition to take forward the work of the railway lines and other issues were discussed at the meeting.
The meeting also envisaged how a connecting line from Boinda in Angul can be connected to the Balangir-Khurda line up to Boudh, which will act as a bridge. Bhanjanagar and Aska subdivisions in South Odisha are deprived of railway lines. The proposed Talcher-Gopalpur railway line connecting Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Aska areas of Ganjam will strengthen the railway network of Odisha. Apart from this, the government has also planned to connect the railway network up to Phulbani in Kandhamal, which was discussed in the meeting.
The meeting was informed that special priority is being given to civic amenities and rail transport in the coal producing areas of Odisha. With all these steps, the railway line will be connected from the coal producing areas to the port areas. This will facilitate the movement of goods and help in the rapid industrialization of Odisha. Strengthening the railway infrastructure will achieve the goal of a developed Odisha. Shri Pradhan opined that Odisha will also make progress in the social, economic and tourism sectors.
Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahatab, Dhenkanal MP Rudra Narayan Pani, Bargarh MP Pradeep Purohit, Aska MP Anita Subhdarsani and Kandhamal MP Sukant Kumar Panigrahi were present in the meeting.