Centre keeping its promise on rail link in Odisha: Union Minister of State for Communication and Railways

The Union Minister assured impartial inquiry into two train mishaps

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister of State for Communication and Railways Manoj Sinha on Wednesday assured that strict action would be initiated against the erring officials responsible for the derailment of Kalinga Utkal Express and Kaifiyat Express.

While 23 persons were killed as Utkal Express jumped off the track near Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh on August 19, over 70 passengers were injured after Kaifiyat Express derailed in UP’s Auraiya district in the wee hours on Wednesday.

“Impartial inquiry is being conducted on both the mishaps and actions are being taken against the officials concerned,” Sinha told media persons. He was here to launch three railway projects through video conferencing at Rail Bhavan.

The Union Minister dismissed the allegations that the Centre has been neglecting railway sector in Odisha. As promised, a whopping `5,102 crore will be invested for development of different railway projects this year and it is the highest ever budgetary allocation for the State, he said.  “Not only the investment, emphasis is also being laid on how projects will soon see the light of the day. Our top priority is timely completion of Haridaspur-Paradip, Khurda-Balangir and Angul-Sukinda railway lines,” Sinha said.

Around 124 km of new railway line, 250 km doubling of track and 127 km third line besides 380 km electrification work worth `4,700 crore have been completed in the State in the last three years. The pace of development in railway sector will be faster in the coming years and Odisha will have a better railway network, he said.

Setting aside the rumours on backing out from an MoU that was signed with the State Government for 130-km Jeypore-Malkangiri railway line for which the Railways will spend 75 per cent and the State’s share is 25 per cent, the Minister said there is no such plan.“We do not decide on any political consideration. We stand by our commitment. We are in constant touch with the State Government as land acquisition has always been a constraint. There has been a proposal for expansion of Khurda Road station for which work will start soon. Some of the proposed projects in Western Odisha will also be taken up on priority basis,” Sinha added.

The Minister dedicated the newly-commissioned electrified section between Sambalpur and Jharsuguda by flagging off a special passenger train. Two passengers trains will run on this route by electric loco on regular basis from Thursday.He also laid foundation stone for a railway road overbridge in lieu of Khetrarajpur level crossing between Sambalpur and Hirakud and inaugurated Wi-Fi facility at Khurda Road junction before leaving for Nayagarh to attend BJP’s Sankalp Se Siddhi programme.

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