BARIPADA: The demand for Bangiriposi-Gorumahisani railway line has gained momentum in the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district. Members of Mayurbhanj Railway Travellers’ Forum and Mayurbhanj Railway Development Committee have demanded provision in 2017-18 budget to connect Rupsa-Bangriposi rail line of Kharagpur Division with Tata-Badampahar line (at Gorumahisani) of Chakradharpur Division under South Eastern Railway (SER).
They said the proposed railway line could serve as the lifeline of Mayurbhanj district as it would connect to New Delhi route via Baripada, Bangriposi and Rairangpur.
The Puri-Delhi distance would be reduced by about 150 km. Though the proposal was mooted in 2013-14, it is yet to be carried out due to the Centre’s negligence and indifference attitude of the State Government, they alleged.
Sources said survey work for the project was completed about three years back and Rs 211 crore was estimated for the 42-km railway line. Later, the estimated cost was raised to Rs 521.63 crore. But the Railway Board is yet to approve the project.
Locals alleged that while the State Government has been offering free-of-cost land and a share of the construction cost for other railway projects in Odisha, it is not showing similar interest towards the Bangriposi-Gorumahisani rail line. More than 100 years ago, the district saw the narrow gauge railway lines. Later, the Bangiriposi-Rupsa and Badampahar-Tata narrow gauge railway line was upgraded to broad gauge and Baripada-Rupsa DMU train was flagged off.
However, the railway connectivity and its development in the district is too late and too little, they added.
They have urged the political leaders cutting across party lines to raise the issue at higher level.