BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday urged Odisha Government to provide land and necessary clearance for Khurda Road-Balangir railway line which is a dream project for the people of the Western region.Dedicating the new railway line from Nayagarh Town to Mahipur station, Pradhan said laying of new lines till Dasapalla will be completed by December 2022. The entire project can be completed by 2024 if land is handed over to the railways soon, he said.
The Union Minister flagged off the extension of Khurda Road-Nayagarh Town-Khurda Road Passenger up to Mahipur station from Nayagarh Town. The new rail service is expected to further boost socio-economic development of the region.“I am hopeful that the railway line will bring prosperity, growth and happiness in the region. Many people of the belt had dreamt of the rail line between Khurda and Balangir. Once completed the project will help build a New Odisha with financial integration among the two regions and boost emotional ties,” the Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel said.
The 11.9 km railway line between Nayagarh Town and Mahipur is a part of Khurda-Balangir project. The section has one major bridge, 37 minor bridges, one road overbridge and 11 road under bridges. Altogether, 92 km of the total 289 km under the project has been completed so far.
Minister for Higher Education, Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Arun Sahoo said the railway line from Khurda to Mahipur is a step forward to connect east and west regions of the State. The extension of trains will improve mobility and contribute to overall development of the region besides boosting employment opportunities, he said.
Pradhan also flagged off Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express that showcased heritage and culture of Odisha. Sponsored by Nalco, each coach will have a distinct display of the designs promoting dance forms, archaeological monuments, flora and fauna of the State.
He also introduced un-reserved tickets in Odia script in addition to English and Hindi. The initiative will be helpful to people who are not comfortable with reading English and Hindi languages. Tickets in Odia script will now be available in 317 stations across the State. Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, Rajya Sabha Member Raghunath Mohapatra, Nalco CMD Sridhar Patra, GM of ECoR Vidya Bhushan and Khurda Road DRM Sashikant Singh were present.