Govt approves 6 railway projects, Naxal-affected Malkangiri to get first rail line

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20

The government on Tuesday approved six railway projects worth more than Rs 11,500 crore, which include laying of the first ever rail line, measuring 130 km, in Odisha’s Naxal-affected Malkangiri, which will cost Rs 2,676 crore.

Briefing media after the decision, which was taken at a meeting of the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said, “Jeypore-Malkangiri New Line project will be completed by 2022 and would cover the districts of Koraput and Malkangiri in the state.”

He also asserted that connecting Naxal-affected areas through railways is the government’s priority and the project in hand will help in the development of the area.

Malkangiri and Koraput districts are among the identified left-wing extremism (LWE) affected districts in the country. These areas are also amongst the 115 aspirational districts identified by the Prime Minister for development to help achieve the vision of New India by 2022.

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.

“The new line will provide basic infrastructure support for overall development, including industrial development of the area having large socio-economic ramifications," the rail Bhawan said in a statement, while adding that it will generate direct employment during construction of about 31.2 lakh man-days.

Meanwhile, the CCEA also approved two doubling of lines with electrification projects for Bihar, which included 100.6 km long Muzaffarpur-Sagauli and 109.7 km Sagauli-Valmiki Nagar. Each of the two projects will costs of Rs 1,347.61 crore, Rs 1,381.49 crore, respectively. These projects will cover the districts of Muzaffarpur, East Champaran (Motihari) and West Champaran (Bettiah) in Bihar

An approval was also given for doubling and electrification of two rail lines in Uttar Pradesh, which include one between Jhansi and Manikpur and another between Bhimsen and Khairar. Together the lines will cost Rs 4,955.72 crore and will cover the distance 425 km with 2022-23 to be the targeted completion year.

In an another decision the CCEA also approved 116.95 km long Bhatni-Aurnihar line doubling with electrification at a completion cost of Rs 1,300.9 crore and the project is likely to be completed by 2021-22, the statement said, adding that the project will help Railways decongest Mughalsarai-Allahabad route and will benefit passengers travelling to Eastern India especially Bihar, West Bengal and North East.