MALKANGIRI : The much-awaited 130 km long Jeypore-Malkangiri railway line project has not made much headway even after getting the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in February. The project is targeted to be completed by 2021-22.The `2,676.11 crore new railway line project will connect Malkangiri, Boipariguda, Tanginiguda, Mathili and Pandripani Road with Jeypore in Koraput district. The project, in the ratio of 25:75 cost sharing between the State Government and the Centre, was approved in November 2017. In 2018-19 Budget, `95 crore was sanctioned by the Centre.
Of the 130-km railway line, tender has been floated and final location survey for 30 km stretch has been completed in the first phase. The post-survey report is being scrutinised now, said Nabarangpur MP and Railway Standing Committee member Balabhadra Majhi, who had played a key role in getting the project approved since preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
The railway authorities will place requisition for acquisition of land for 30 km once the scrutiny is over. Though tender has been floated for the final survey of the remaining 100 km railway line, it is yet to be finalised delaying the survey work, Majhi told ‘Express.’Once the final location survey for the entire 130-km railway line is over, land acquisition process will begin followed by forest and environmental clearance. The whole process should be completed in 7-8 months.
“To put the project work on fast track, I have taken up the issue with the East Coast Railway (ECoR), the implementing agency of the project. During a discussion with the ECoR General Manager (GM), Chief Administrator Officer (CAO) and Railway Board Chairman, I have urged them to expedite the project,” he said.Earlier, the project had remained a non-starter due to Centre-State tussle over bearing the land cost of the project. According to reports, the State Government had initially offered to bear 25 per cent of the land cost and signed an MoU in 2016.