BHUBANESWAR: Odisha received the highest-ever allocation of Rs 10,012 crore, up by around three per cent from the previous budget, for development of railway infrastructure in 2023-24. The overall allocation for railways in 2022-23 was Rs 9,734 crore, which included the state share and extra-budgetary resources.
Briefing mediapersons, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the Odisha government had sought an allocation of Rs 8,400 crore but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a provision of over Rs 10,000 crore, which is the highest-ever allocation for the state. In a bid to improve rail connectivity and passenger amenities across Odisha, new railway lines of 280 km will be laid and 57 railway stations modernised with state-of-the-art facilities in the state in the coming fiscal.
“Like several countries where travellers get an opportunity to visit a heritage destination in a world class train directly from the airport, we have planned to connect Lingaraj Temple Road station with Bhubaneswar airport by introducing battery-operated or hydrogen-powered vehicles. Visitors landing at the airport and wishing to visit Puri can board the train from Lingaraj station,” he said.
On Vande Metro train, the railways minister said the shuttle service will be rolled out next year for people commuting between two big cities separated by a distance of 50 km to 60 km. “The prototype of the train will be ready by August. Once introduced, cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri can have the Vande metro service,” he said. In the railway allocation, the focus has been clearly on development of railway infrastructure in west and south Odisha districts.
The long pending Khurda road-Balangir project has received the maximum budgetary provision of Rs 1,599 crore, up by around 80 per cent than last year’s Rs 891 crore. Prioritising ongoing projects, Rs 300 crore has been allocated for 154 km Talcher-Bimlagarh railway line, Rs 200 crore for 98.7 km Angul-Sukinda line, Rs 115 crore for 130 km Jeypore-Malkangiri line, Rs 100 crore each for 38 km Jeypore-Nabarangpur line and Talcher-Angul line with Y connection at Talcher, Rs 50 crore each for 82 km Haridaspur-Paradip line and Nuapada-Gunupur new broad gauge line up to Theruvali.
Odisha gets highest `10,012 crore allocation for Rly development
There has been a significant rise in budgetary allocation for important ongoing doubling projects. The highest Rs 920 crore has been allocated for Vizianagaram to Sambalpur third line, Rs 560 crore for Jharsuguda-Bilaspur (fourth line), Rs 550 crore for Koraput-Singapur Road, Rs 505 crore for Narayangarh- Bhadrak (third line), Rs 410 crore each for Budhapank-Salegaon (third and fourth line) and Kothavalasa- Koraput line via Jagdalpur, Rs 330 crore for 80 km Bhadrak-Nergundi (third line), Rs 309 crore for Bondamunda-Ranchi line, Rs 225 crore for 180 km Banspani-Daitari- Tomka-Jakhapura line and Rs 212 crore for Jharapada-Budapank (third and fourth line).
Budgetary provisions have also been made for other projects, including an outlay of Rs 37 crore for freight train maintenance facility at Manesar, Rs 5 crore for setting up of electric loco periodic overhaul facility at Kalahandi, Rs 80 lakh for MEMU car shed at Khurda Road and Rs 35 lakh for augmentation of Angul electric loco shed.
WHAT’S NEW
Rs 284cr outlay for new Janjatiya Gaurav corridor
Rs 57cr for new port connectivity
28 stations identified under ‘One Station One Product’ initiative
57 stations to be modernised