Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after the Union Cabinet gave its approval to the doubling of the 74-kilometre Haridaspur-Paradip rail line in Odisha.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, cleared the major rail infrastructure project in its meeting held on Wednesday.
The project will be executed entirely with government funding at an estimated cost of ₹2,542 crore.
Expressing his gratitude, Dharmendra Pradhan said the approval is a significant step towards strengthening Odisha’s rail infrastructure under Prime Minister Modi’s Purvodaya mission. “This decision will make transportation smoother and further strengthen the state’s economy,” Pradhan stated. He added that the doubling of the Haridaspur-Paradip section will substantially increase rail capacity, allowing more passenger and freight trains to run efficiently on this route.
Major Boost for Paradip Port
Pradhan highlighted that the project will prove to be a game-changer for Paradip Port, which is the commercial hub of Odisha.
The enhanced rail capacity will speed up the movement of import-export cargo as well as coastal cargo through the port. It will help Paradip Port achieve its cargo handling targets more effectively and create large-scale direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region.
The Minister said the timely decision will play a key role in the overall socio-economic development of the area.
The 74 km doubling project is expected to remove existing bottlenecks on the route and provide better connectivity between industrial and mineral-rich areas and Paradip Port.
With this approval, Odisha’s rail infrastructure is set to receive fresh momentum under the Purvodaya vision, paving the way for improved logistics, faster movement of goods, and accelerated economic growth in the state.
