Odisha Gets Railway Allocation of Rs 4373 Crore

Bhubaneswar: The Centre has allocated Rs 4373 crore in the Union Budget 2020-21 for the railway sector of Odisha compared to Rs 4593 core in the previous year.

Summary of Key Highlights of Rail Budget for East Coast Railway/Odisha for 2020

• Total outlay for projects in Odisha last year was Rs 4593.00 crore. Last year, NTPC invested in Railway project connecting Jharsuguda-Barapali Coal corridor worth Rs 1400 Crore and total project funds for Odisha was Rs 5993 crore. This amount of Rs 1400 crore is not included this year as the project got commissioned last year. There is no investment from NTPC in this or other such project this year as the work is completed.
• New work sanctioned in current Budget is Sambalpur-Gopalpur New line via Phulbani (With length 241 KMs). It has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 2957 crore subject to final approval of Niti Ayog.
• All major projects have got significant increase in allotment. Allotment has been made on the basis of need of each project and requirement at site. So there has been enhancement in case of all projects. Each project has been reviewed and amount allotted accordingly.
• Khurda Road-Balangir line has been given Rs 520 crore against Rs 350 crore last year. The Prime Minister has stressed upon early completion of this important project. Angul-Sukinda project has got Rs 450 crore against Rs 250 crore last year. Haridaspur-Paradeep project will be commissioned this year by March. Only Rs 100 crore have been allotted as the project is nearing completion. This project was allotted Rs 400 crore last year.
• There is significant increase in allotment towards doubling projects especially, Sambalpur-Talcher, Sambalpur-Titilagarh, Titilagarh-Rayagada and Titilagarh-Raipur Electrification of Khurda Road-Balangir line and Lanjigarh Road-Junagarh Road line has been given priority.
• Wagon Repair Workshop at Maneswar near Sambalpur has been given a substantial amount of Rs 20 crore.
• To enhance Safety, elimination of Level Crossings by constructing Road Over Bridge (ROBs) and Road Under Bridges (RUBs) have been given top priority and works costing Rs 1165 crore have been sanctioned.