JAJPUR: The Jajpur Road-Dhamra Railway Sangram Samiti has demanded approval of proposed Jajpur Road-Dhamra new railway line along with budgetary allocation for the project in the 2023-24 union budget.
A five-member delegation of the Samiti led by former finance minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei met general manager of East Coast Railways (ECoR) at the latter’s office and handed over a memorandum addressed to union railway minister Aswini Vaishnaw demanding immediate approval of the proposed railway line. The outfit urged railways to sanction funds for the project in the coming budget.
Ghadei said the proposed 96 km railway line will connect Jajpur Road, the gateway to the industrial area of Jajpur with the port at Dhamra in Bhadrak. It will also connect Maa Biraja temple, one of the oldest Shakti peethas of the country, with famous Shaivite shrine of Baba Akhandalamani at Aradi via Jajpur town. The line will connect tourism spots of Jajpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts, said Ghadei.
“It is also economically viable because of the mining and industrial belt in Jajpur and adjoining Keonjhar and Angul. We urge the railways to sanction funds for the project in the upcoming budget,” he added. ECoR general manager Roop Narayan Sunakar assured the delegation to take up the matter with the ministry.