New Delhi: The Centre has asked Odisha Rail Infrastructure Development Limited (ORIDL), a joint venture of State Government and Ministry of Railways, to review the alignment of Gopalpur – Rairakhol new rail line, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Parliament today.
In a written reply to a question of Kandhamal MP Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi, Shri Vaishnaw said rail connectivity for Kandhamal district is proposed to be provided by Rairakhol – Gopalpur new line project is being taken up by the ORIDL.
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this new rail line was prepared by ORIDL. However, the alignment of the proposed new line was not passing through Phulbani which was in contravention to the In-Principle Approval (IPA) granted to ORIDL, he said.
Therefore, ORIDL has been advised to review the alignment of Gopalpur – Rairakhol new rail line, the Railways Minister said, adding, “The Project is not yet sanctioned.”
In another reply, Shri Vaishnaw said the Centre has recently sanctioned Puri – Konark (32.02 km), Gunupur-Therubali (73.62 km), Malkangiri-Pandurangapuram via Bhadrachalam (173.61 km), Badampahar-Kendujhargarh (82.06 km), Junagarh – Nabarangpur (116.21 km), Buramara-Chakulia (59.96 km), Bangriposi-Gorumahisani (85.6 km), Bargad Road- Nawapara Road (138.32 km), and Sardega – Bhalumuda (37.24 km).
As on April 1, 2024, 40 projects (13 New Lines, 1 Gauge Conversion and 26 Doubling) of total length 4,017 Km, costing Rs 54,434 crore, falling fully/partly in Odisha are in planning/approval/construction stage, out of which, 1,100 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of Rs 22,833 crore has been incurred upto March, 2024, he added.
The Railways Minister said 90 surveys (new line and doubling) of total length 5,598 km falling fully partly in the state of Odisha including Malkangiri, Nabarangpur have been sanctioned in the last three years and current year.
During the financial year 2023-24, 243 km of sections have been commissioned in Odisha, he added.