BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government has sanctioned Rs 178 crore for the speedy execution of the much-awaited Khurda Road-Balangir rail line project. This sanction came after the safety inspection of 10.5 km of the newly-laid broad gauge line between Bichhupali and Jhartarbha of the rail line project. The fund included Rs 150 crore for the construction of the segment from 112 km to 289 km and Rs 28 crore for the diversion of 594.618 ha forest land in Nayagarh and Boudh forest divisions in 2022-2023.
Sanctioned in 1994-95, the 289-km project was stuck due to a delay in land acquisition. Only around 96 km of the project, which will provide a vital railway link to some of the most backward districts of the state, has been completed. The highest Rs 1,000 crore was sanctioned for the project in the 2021-22 rail budget.
The state government has given land free of cost and bearing 50 per cent of the construction cost for the railway project, considered to be a lifeline for the western Odisha region.Principal secretary of Commerce and Transport department Bishnupada Sethi has directed officials to release the fund to railways for early completion of the project.
The government has initiated several measures to resolve bottlenecks concerning the railway project at the earliest. Even as the project has been fast-tracked, delay in forest and environment clearances has been hampering construction.
The project entails the acquisition of 6,162 acre plain land and diversion of 1,844 acre forest land. While over 5,500 acre of land has been acquired, diversion of only 170 acre of forest land is complete so far.
Sources said the state government is facing legal challenges as the forest land to be acquired for the construction of 37-km railway line falls in the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ).Though the work is in progress from Nuagaon to Daspalla (15 km), the work from Daspalla to Buguda (15 km) has slowed down due to lack of forest clearance.