Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to boost the operational efficiency of Indian Railways, the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned Rs 509 crore for construction of two railway flyovers in Odisha’s Cuttack and Rayagada districts.
This initiative is part of the broader Energy, Mineral & Cement Corridor scheme of Indian Railways, aimed at improving train movements and alleviating traffic congestion across key railway lines. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in his recent visit to Odisha, had also mentioned about the sanction of these projects.
The Cuttack project includes construction of 10.89-km rail flyover, connecting Rajathgarh, Radhakishorepur and Machhapur railway stations in the district. This infrastructure will enhance operational capabilities by facilitating simultaneous train movements without delays caused by cross-traffic. The total cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 268.92 crore.
Similarly, 5.5-km rail flyover will be constructed at Singapur Road station in Rayagada district, addressing traffic congestion on the Raipur-Vizianagaram rail line. It is expected to ensure uninterrupted train movements in and out of the station, avoiding delays caused by cross-traffic. The estimated cost of this project is Rs 239.83 crore.
The flyovers will address existing operational challenges by eliminating cross-traffic, which currently leads to significant delays and inefficiencies at key junctions like Singapur Road station, Rajathgarh, Radhakishorepur, and Machhapur.
The projects will ease congestion in Nergundi-Cuttack-Barang-Rajathgarh area and the Rayagada-Singapur Road corridor, ensuring smoother train operations and faster travel times.
Currently, major junctions in Khurda Road and Waltair divisions experience traffic bottlenecks due to cross-movements at Singapur Road and Rajathgarh-Radhakishorepur-Machhapur stations. These constraints cause significant delays as up and down trains often have to wait for cross-traffic clearance. The new flyovers will remove these obstacles by creating dedicated paths for trains from various directions, ensuring uninterrupted movements.