BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to expedite construction of the strategically important Bargarh Road-Nuapada Road new railway line via Padampur, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has fast-tracked land acquisition for the purpose.
Announced in 2018, the 138.32 km railway line was a major election issue during the 2022 Padampur by-poll with BJD and BJP blaming each other for the delay in execution of the project.
The rail line has been declared as a special railway project and is being constructed with an estimated investment of Rs 2,621.92 crore including a major financial support from the Odisha government.
Around 924.64 hectare (ha) of land, including 752.52 ha of private land, 123.23 ha of government land and 48.91 ha of forest land will be acquired at a cost of Rs 364 crore for the project.
Land acquisition notification for the first block section between Bargarh and Sarsara covering five villages under Bargarh tehsil has been published and verification of land schedules completed.
Railway sources said, the tender for land acquisition is under finalisation and physical possession of land is expected to begin shortly after the completion of legal formalities under the Railway Amendment Act.
“The construction of the line will begin from the Bargarh side once the acquisition of private land for the first block section is completed. Further land acquisition processes are also being expedited in other sections to ensure the overall project is completed within the stipulated timeline,” the sources said.
As per the agreement, the state has provided the government land free of cost and sanctioned a grant of Rs 300 crore to support the railway project. The new line via Padampur will significantly reduce travel time and distance, benefitting both passengers and freight movement.
Once operational, the new rail line will reduce travel distance by 53 km as compared to the Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Raipur route and by 87 km compared to the existing Sambalpur-Titilagarh-Raipur route.
This line will also facilitate faster transportation of coal, iron ore, steel, cement, agro-based products and other industrial goods, benefitting industries in Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Raipur and Titilagarh.