BHUBANESWAR: Deogarh district will soon have rail connectivity. The Ministry of Railways on Friday gave its nod for final location survey (FLS) of the Jharsuguda-Barkote new rail line project.The FLS for the proposed 160-km railway line will be conducted at a cost of Rs 4 crore. The detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared after the survey. The Railway Board has informed the East Coast Railway (ECoR) about the sanction given by the Ministry for conducting the FLS for preparation of DPR for the new line between Jharsuguda and Barkote.
Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for approval of the project.On July 10, Pradhan had written a letter to the Railways Minister seeking his personal intervention for the new rail line after a local outfit approached him during the Garib Kalyan Samavesh. The proposed railway line connecting Barkote in Deogarh district with Jharsuguda and Kuchinda subdivision in Sambalpur will usher in a new era in the region. “Once constructed, the new line would boost economic activities in the region and reduce travel time of people who are dependent on other modes of transportation,” said Pradhan.