BARIPADA: BJD Rajya Sabha member Mamata Mahanta raised the issue of lack of rail connectivity in Mayurbhanj district in the Parliament recently.
In queries to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, she asked why is the district being neglected despite the fact that Chief Minister Naveen Patanik has agreed to provide free land for laying of railway tracks across Odisha.
In his reply, Vaishnaw said the survey of the 55 km new rail line between Budhamara and Chakulia has been completed. While 38 km of the line will be in Jharkhand, the rest will in the district.
The Minister said factors like delay in land acquisition and clearance of forest land by both states have affected the project.
“The NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to development of railways in Odisha,” he said.
Vaishnaw said survey of the new line between Bangiriposi and Gorumahisani has been completed and route connectivity work is expected to commence within a couple of months.