BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed 25 ongoing railway projects in Odisha that are pending for a long time, and their completion timelines.
At a late night review in his office at New Delhi on Wednesday, he discussed the status of the projects and allocation of funds in the Budget with Railway Board officials and those monitoring the construction activities. The Railways has decided to focus on early completion of old projects besides, taking up new projects on priority.
Some of the railway projects reviewed were Haridaspur-Paradip, Khurda-Balangir, Talcher-Bimlagarh, Jeypore-Nabarangpur, Talcher-Sambalpur and Angul-Sukinda new lines and Sambalpur-Titlagarh doubling.
Among other critical projects, the progress of Bansapani-Daitari-Tomka-Jakhapura doubling, Jarapada-Budhapank with flyover at Talcher, Jagadalpur-Koraput, Kottavalasa-Koraput and Koraput-Singapur doubling, Bhadrak-Nergundi, Rourkela-Jharsuguda third line and Jharsuguda-Bilaspur and Bondamunda-Rourkela fourth line were also reviewed.
While some of the important railway links have been stuck due to land acquisition hurdles, many others have suffered inordinate delay resulting in blocking of funds. These include projects for railway electrification, doubling and new lines that are considered vital for the much-needed upgradation of rail infrastructure in the State.
The review came in the wake of demands from different regions of the State after former bureaucrat Vaishnaw, a Rajya Sabha member from Odisha, was made the Union Railways Minister. "Just took a review of functioning and implementation of all the ongoing railway projects and future developmental aspects of Odisha," tweeted Vaishnaw.