Bhubaneswar: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the much-awaited Malkangiri-Jeypore railway project in Odisha.
As per the decision, the proposed 130-km railway project would be completed in 2021-22 with an outlay of Rs 2676 crore.
The proposed new line will connect Malkangiri, Boipariguda, Tanginiguda, Mathili, Pondripani Road and other major towns to Jeypore station on the existing Kottavalasa-Kirandul line. Further, connectivity to important towns like Koraput, Jeypore, Jagdalpur and Dantewada will improve. It will also result in short lead to many other places of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
Talking to media persons in New Delhi, Railway minister Piyush Goyal said at present Malkangiri has no connectivity with Railways. The new line will provide basic infrastructure support for overall development including industrial development of the area having large socio-economic ramifications.
“This project will provide connectivity to this region, and will help provide economic opportunities to the people of these regions. This will also help in combating left wing extremism through development,” he pointed out.
