Bhubaneswar: Odisha goverenment has fast tracked several key railway projects. At a high-level meeting, held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Development Commissioner Ms. Anu Garg, reviewed the progress of the on going projects and the preparation for pipelined ones.
The meeting was attended by Ms. Usha Padhee Principal Secretary Commerce & Transport , P . Funkual, General Manager of East Coast Railway, Premkumar Jha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Bhubaneswar), Balwant Singh ,Commissioner-cum-Secretary Tourism, and Commissioner Rail Coordination Kaustuva Dipta Pany.
The meeting emphasised on a strong push to resolve bottlenecks, accelerate execution, and deliver projects that link heritage with modern logistics, empower tribal regions, and fuel industrial and tourism growth.
Odisha continues to play a leading role in railway development by expediting land acquisition, ensuring timely clearances, and co-financing key projects. Among the most significant initiatives is the 32 km Puri–Konark new line sanctioned for ₹492.12 crore. Designed to connect the UNESCO heritage sites of Shri Jagannath Temple and Sun Temple, the corridor will include four stations, key bridges, and facilities for special events. Expected to generate 11 lakh man-days, the project will not only boost spiritual and heritage tourism but also support local livelihoods through the One Station One Product scheme.
Three projects in Mayurbhanj district—Bangriposi–Gorumahisani, Badampahar–Kendujhargarh, and Buramara–Chakulia—will connect North Odisha with the western region, creating end-to-end connectivity from Betnoti to Rairangpur. Similarly, the Jaleswar–Chandaneswar link has been planned to promote coastal tourism.
In the KBK region, new lines between Gunupur–Therubali, Junagarh–Nabarangpur, and Malkangiri–Pandurangapuram (via Bhadrachalam) will bring direct access from Raipur to Vijayawada and Hyderabad, boosting agro-based industries, regional tribal eco-tourism, and strengthening Odisha’s role in Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Other critical projects include the Khurda Road–Balangir new line, which enhances hinterland connectivity, and the Bargarh Road–Nawapara Road new line, which will improve market access for rice-producing areas of western and southern Odisha while reducing logistics costs for coal movement while cutting down coal dust pollution from Angul/Talcher to Raipur.
