By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI: Detailed discussions were held today in New Delhi between Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Railway Minister Ashwani Baishnab and party MPs from Odisha to develop the railway sector in Odisha, facilitate the movement of citizens and strengthen the railway network.
Shri Pradhan said in a press conference after the discussion that the railway sector has an important role to play in connecting the country’s agricultural products with the country’s market, along with the development of the industrial and mining sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Purrooday Sampal’ has given priority to Odisha and has given emphasis to strengthening 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. While Odisha was getting one thousand crore rupees annually due to Congress’s revenue, the railway budget for Odisha has increased every year under the Modi government. The railway minister informed that the railway department is implementing work worth about 90 thousand crore rupees for new railway lines, doubling of railway lines, third line, fourth line in Odisha.
In today’s meeting, the idea of expediting the work of Jharsuguda-Barakot railway line, Angul-Talcher new railway line, Bargarh Road-Nuapada Road-Raipur railway line, Talcher-Bimalagarh railway line, the much-awaited Khordha-Balangir railway line, Sambalpur-Jarpada third and fourth railway lines and the idea of constructing an outer coal corridor from Jarpada to Burhap via Tentuloi was discussed. In particular, the land acquisition required to take forward the work of the railway line and other issues were discussed.
The meeting also envisaged how a connecting line from Bhinda in Angul can be connected to the Balangir-Khordha 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 will strengthen the railway network of Odisha if it connects Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Aska areas of Ganjam. Apart from this, the government has also put forward a plan to connect the railway network up to Phulbani in Kandhamal, which was discussed in the meeting.
He further said that special emphasis is being given to civic amenities and rail transport in the coal producing areas of Odisha. All these steps will connect the railway line from the coal producing areas to the port areas. This will make freight transport easier and will help in the rapid industrialization of Odisha. Strengthening the railway infrastructure will fulfill the goal of a developed Odisha. Shri Pradhan opined that there will also be progress in the social, economic and tourism sectors of Odisha.
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 main meeting.
