News Brief
Odisha Railway Network Gets Push As Pradhan, Vaishnaw Review Rs 90,000 Crore Projects
(Credit: @dpradhanbjp/X)
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently convened a meeting with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to review the progress of ongoing railway projects in Odisha.
Several BJP MPs from the state joined the discussions, which were held at Pradhan’s New Delhi residence ahead of the vice-presidential election.
Pradhan in a X post highlighted that the “double-engine government” has prioritised strengthening rail infrastructure under the Purvoday Mission, describing it as essential not only for passenger mobility but also for boosting industrial corridors and ensuring farmers’ produce reaches national markets.
Key projects under review included the Jharsuguda–Barakote line, the Angul–Talcher route, and the proposed Talcher–Gopalpur link, which will connect Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Boudh and parts of Ganjam, including Aska.
Discussions also covered the development of an outer coal corridor from Jharsuguda to Tentuloi and onwards to Bhubaneswar, as well as the challenge of land acquisition that continues to slow progress.
Updating the delegation, Vaishnaw said railway projects worth nearly Rs 90,000 crore are currently under way in Odisha. He pointed out that the pace of construction has accelerated, with more railway lines being constructed daily compared to the past.
The state, he noted, has achieved 100 per cent electrification, with 59 Amrit stations under development and two Amrit Bharat trains already in service.
Among those present at the meeting were MPs Bhartruhari Mahtab, Rudra Narayan Pani, Pradeep Purohit, Anita Subhadarsini and Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi.
