UMERKOTE: Will there be an end to Nabarangpur’s long wait for a place in the country’s railway map? The tribal-dominated district is pinning its hopes on the proposed visit of New Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on August 17.
Local MP Ramesh Majhi said Vaishnaw will review the stalled Jeypore-Nabarangpur railway project during his tour to the district. Besides, the Minister would also be briefed on the much-awaited Junagarh-Nabarangpur railway project.
One of the most underdeveloped and backward districts in India, Nabarangpur is yet to have rail services even seven decades after Independence. Despite having a robust trading system with neighbouring Chhattisgarh, the district doesn’t have railway network. Irony is there are many people in Nabarangpur who are yet to see a train.
Sources said, a railway line project from Jeypore to Nabarangpur was approved in 2016-17. It was decided that Rs 748 crore will be spent for construction of 41.35 km railway line. In 2017, the Railway Board approved the detailed project report and accordingly, an MoU was signed between the Central and State government. While Odisha government was supposed to provide land for the project, the cost of laying the railway line was to be shared equally by the Centre and the State.
Besides, it was proposed to set up railway stations at Jayantagiri, Borrigumma and Kaliaguda in Koraput district and Podalguda in Nabarangpur as part of the project. Official sources said 30 km of the railway line project will be in Koraput and 11 km in Nabarangpur. A total of 27 level crossings and two bridges on Indravati and Putra rivers will be constructed under the project. The railway line will run through 248 hectare (ha) private, 81 ha government and 12 ha forest land in Koraput. Similarly, 89 ha private and 21 ha government land in Nabarangpur will come under the project.
Sources said the Railway Ministry is yet to issue notification regarding acquisition of land for construction of railway stations. Besides, though land identification process for the proposed railway line has been completed, the acquisition work has been stalled as the State government is yet to sanction the necessary funds. Five years have passed but the proposed railway project has made no progress reportedly due to lack of coordination between the Centre and State government.
Now with Vaishnaw, a Rajya Sabha Member from Odisha becoming the Railway Minister, Nabarangpur people feel the railway project could become a reality. Majhi said land acquisition for the project has been stalled due to pandemic. “Once the Covid situation improves, the acquisition process will start. I will urge the Railway Minister to issue notification for acquisition of land for the railway stations,” he added.
On Slow Track
Railway line project from Jeypore to Nabarangpur approved in 2016-17
Under the project, 41.35 km railway line to be constructed at a cost of Rs 748 crore
Railway stations proposed at Jayantagiri, Borrigumma and Kaliaguda in Koraput and Podalguda in Nabarangpur
In 2017, the Railway Board approved detailed project report
5 years have passed but the railway project has made no progress