Jeypore-Nabarangpur rail line to be extended to Junagarh

This was announced by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during his one-day visit to Malkangiri district on Friday.

UMERKOTE: The proposed extension of the Jeypore-Nabarangpur rail line to Junagarh has brought much cheer to people of Nabarangpur and Kalahandi districts, as this has been one of their longstanding demands. This was announced by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during his one-day visit to Malkangiri district on Friday.

Sketch map of the rail line | Express
Sketch map of the rail line | Express

As per reports, the detailed project report (DPR) for the rail line has been prepared and survey is underway in Nabarangpur district as the route of the railway has changed since the design changed. Land will be acquired after the survey is completed.

According to the sketch map of the proposed 110 km stretch, the rail line will run from Junagarh to Nabarangpur via Koksara, Ampani and Ampani ghat and from there it will reach Nabarangpur via Boripadar, Dhansuli and Papadahandi. It will run parallel to NH-26.

Sources said, as people of Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts have close social, economic and cultural ties, they had demanded extension of the rail line to Junagarh during the Railway Minister’s visit to Nabarangpur district in August last year.

Contacted, Nabarangpur MP Ramesh Chandra Majhi said the DPR will be prepared after identification of the final locations and completion of survey. Construction work of the Jeypore-Nabarangpur rail line would start by 2024 and is expected to be completed within two and half years.

The rail link between Junagarh to Nabarangpur and Malkangiri to Bhadrachalam will facilitate communication with Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. The rail link to Junagarh will make it easier to travel to Bhubaneswar and Raipur (Chhattisgarh).

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