Jeypore-Nabarangpur Railway project yet to start rolling

Paper work for land acquisition for the project yet to start.

NABARANGPUR: Even as the Railways Ministry sanctioned the new 38-km broad gauge (BG) line between Jeypore and Nabarangpur last month as per the announcement in the 2016-17 Railway Budget, paper work for land acquisition for the project is yet to start.Collector Rashmita Panda said the administration has not received any communication for land acquisition for the new project so far. A letter has also been sent to the Land Acquisition Officer to inform the district administration on the present status of land acquisition for the new rail line, she added.

The State Government had signed a MoU on the new line with the Railway Ministry at New Delhi on October 10, 2016. As per the MoU, the Odisha Government will bear the entire cost of land and 50 per cent of the construction cost of the project. The cost of the 38-km line is estimated at `747.91 crore and it is proposed to be completed in three years.

The railway line will connect Nabarangpur with Jeypore, an existing station on Kottavalasa-Kirandul line. This line will provide connectivity to important towns including Koraput, Jeypore, Jagdalpur, Dantewada. Besides, the new track will connect Nabarangpur with Junagarh in Kalahandi district.
Sources said the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has not yet submitted its requisition for land to the State Government. Special Land Acquisition Officer Bhimsen Manseth, who has been entrusted with land acquisition for the project, said survey has already been completed. “We can go ahead with land acquisition only after getting the requisite application from the ECoR which was supposed to submit it to the State Government last month,” Manseth said.

However, Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi said the ECoR will submit the requisition letter to the Government soon. There will be a meeting of Railway officials with the Collectors of Koraput and Nabarangpur to discuss land acquisition, Majhi said, adding that discussion is on to begin construction work on Government land and over rivers.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com