Odisha to benefit from Centre's 3 mega rail projects

Bhubaneswar, Aug 9: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved eight significant railway projects worth Rs 24,657 crore across seven states including Odisha. 

These projects are expected to enhance connectivity and facilitate travel across various regions in India, with completion targeted by 2030-2031.

The railway expansion covers 14 districts across seven states: Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana, and West Bengal, adding about 900 kilometers to the existing Indian Railways network. During the construction phase, these projects will generate around three crore man-days of direct employment.

A notable feature of the initiative is the construction of 64 new stations, which will improve connectivity to six Aspirational Districts—East Singhbhum, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, and Rayagada—benefiting nearly 510 villages and a population of approximately 40 lakh.

In addition to enhancing passenger connectivity, the projects include capacity augmentation works that are expected to result in an additional freight traffic of 143 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). This will help reduce logistics costs, cut down oil imports by crore liters, and lower CO2 emissions by 0.87 million tonnes, equivalent to the plantation of 3.5 crore trees.

The Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will also be linked to the Indian Railway Network, significantly boosting tourism. These projects are part of the broader PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity. Indian Railways has seen a significant expansion from 2014 to 2024, adding 31,180 kilometers to its network, with an average commissioning rate of 8.54 kilometers per day for new lines, gauge conversions, and doubling sections.