Bhubaneswar: Odisha Commerce and Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu has demanded the Centre to sanction of new railway line between Bargarh and Nuapada via Padampur.
Writing a letter to Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in this regard, the Odisha Minister said that the new railway line can offer an important communication link to the people of the two districts of Odisha and act as a potential catalyst for rapid economic development of Western Odisha.
With this new line, the Western Odisha region will get a shorter and quicker connectivity with the Coastal Odisha through the Khurda – Balangir line, Sahu said.
She said, “I have received a memorandum from the people of Padampur submitted to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, requesting to sanction the important new railway line between Bargarh and Nuapada, via Padampur”.
In reference to the above new line, from Bargarh Station to Nuapada Rd Station, on Dt 15.12.2018, Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in a public meeting announced that Central Government has sanctioned the project and same was also highlighted by the Cabinet Minister in his Social Media account.
It may be noted that since the year 2018, CM Naveen Patnaik and the Odisha Government have been requesting Ministry of Railways to sanction the important railway line between Bargarh and Nuapada, via Padampur. The project has a Rate of Return (ROR) of 17.31% as per study undertaken by East Coast Railway and communicated to Ministry of Railways vide letter Dated 11.01.2019, she mentioned in the letter.
“This railway project can offer an important communication link to the people of the two districts of Odisha and act as a potential catalyst for rapid economic development of Western Odisha. With this new line, the Western Odisha region will get a shorter and quicker connectivity with the Coastal Odisha through the Khurda – Balangir line. However, contrary to the announcement by Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Railways in 2019 communicated that the proposed new line has been shelved as it didn’t appear to be financially viable, despite the high ROR, which is much beyond the requirement for approving a new line”, she wrote.
The Railway Board asked the State Government to contribute free land and RR cost for land acquisition for considering the project. And on this request, the CM approved not only free land for the entire project (Private, Government and Forest Land) but also pledged Rs 300 crore towards construction of the project, so that it becomes even more lucrative for Indian Railways to sanction the project. The same has been communicated to Ministry of Railways.
Despite Odisha Government coming forward to offer with all cooperation, the important project is still waiting to advance from paper work and surveys through other agencies. It may be noted that Ministry of Railways has suggested that State led JV, ORIDL, to undertake the surveys. Given the immense benefit the new line will offer, Indian Railways need to come forward, allocate funds and start the work immediately, she said.
“Therefore, in the interest of the people of Odisha, I would request you to reconsider the decision of your ministry and sanction this very important railway line and entrust East-Coast Railways to begin the land acquisition process and start construction work expeditiously”, she further said.
“ The Odisha Government has always prioritised infrastructure development in the Western and Southern Odisha and built Biju Expressway for accelerated economic development in the region. We request you to come forward and invest in this important railway line and be a partner in the socio-economic development of Padampur and adjoining region”, she added.
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