Bhubaneswar: Odisha will get three of the four railway line expansion projects approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, with the combined works expected to strengthen rail connectivity, ease congestion and improve freight movement across the state.
The projects, approved on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have a total estimated cost of around Rs 9,450 crore, according to an official statement.
The Odisha projects include the 173-km fourth line between Kharagpur and Bhadrak (Ranital), covering West Bengal and Odisha; the 75-km fourth line between Bhadrak and Haridaspur; and the 72-km third and fourth lines between Cuttack and Paradeep (Badabandha).
Together, the four approved projects will add about 410 km to the Indian Railways network across Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The projects will cover eight districts and improve connectivity to around 6,448 villages with a combined population of about 60 lakh.
The increased line capacity is expected to improve operational efficiency and service reliability while reducing congestion on busy railway routes. The projects are also expected to facilitate smoother movement of passengers, goods and services.
In Odisha, the expanded railway connectivity will benefit access to several important tourist and religious destinations. These include Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, Maa Bhadrakali Temple, Maa Dhamarai Temple, Panchalingeswar Temple, Talsari-Udaypur and Chandipur beaches, Gada Kujanga Jagannath Temple, Sarala Temple, Dhabaleswar Temple and Lalitgiri, among others.
The projects will also strengthen rail-based transportation of key commodities, including coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles and food grains.
The Railways expects the capacity augmentation to generate additional freight traffic of around 76 million tonnes per annum.
The projects have been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, with a focus on improving multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations.
According to the government, the projects will also contribute to lower logistics costs and support environmental goals. The shift towards rail transportation is expected to reduce oil imports by around 13 crore litres and cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 65 crore kg, equivalent to the plantation of about 2.60 crore trees.
The remaining project approved by the Cabinet involves the construction of a third and fourth line between Gummidipundi and Gudur over 90 km in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The government said the projects are aimed at supporting comprehensive regional development and creating greater employment and self-employment opportunities through improved connectivity.
