In a major push for Odisha’s infrastructure, the railway budget allocation for the state has witnessed a remarkable 13-fold increase over the past 12 years.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made this announcement in the Lok Sabha today, highlighting the Centre’s strong focus on transforming Odisha’s rail network.
According to the minister, annual railway budget allocation to Odisha stood at ₹838 crore between 2009 and 2014. In 2026-27, this figure has risen sharply to ₹10,928 crore — nearly 13 times higher. New railway track construction has also accelerated significantly, growing 3.5 times from an average of 53 km per year (2009-14) to 186 km annually between 2014 and 2026.
55 Major Projects Sanctioned
The government has approved 55 railway projects in Odisha, comprising 19 new lines and 36 doubling/widening projects. These projects will add 4,256 km of new or upgraded tracks at a total estimated cost of ₹81,739 crore. Several projects, including the Daitari-Bansapani new line, Jharsuguda-Sardega new line, Haridaspur-Paradip new line, and Sambalpur-Titlagarh doubling, have already been completed at a cost of around ₹3,200 crore. Construction work is currently underway on 26 projects.
Amrit Bharat Station Redevelopment
Under the ambitious Amrit Bharat Station scheme, redevelopment work has been completed at nine stations in Odisha — Balangir, Baripada, Barpali, Bimalagad, Cuttack, Kesinga, Khariar Road, Paralakhemundi, and Talcher. Redevelopment is in progress at 50 more stations, including efforts to upgrade Bhubaneswar into a world-class station. Work is also moving forward on Cuttack, Puri, Mancheswar, and Lingaraj Road stations. Additionally, construction of the Gopalpur-Rairakhol new line has been initiated.
Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals & Full Electrification
Odisha now has 12 operational Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals, with another 36 terminals receiving in-principle approval. The state has achieved 100% electrification of its broad-gauge network. New lines and doubling projects are being built with electrification from the start.
Strong Focus on Safety
Safety infrastructure has seen massive upgrades. The national railway safety budget has increased from ₹39,200 crore in 2013-14 to ₹1,20,389 crore in 2026-27. Electronic interlocking has been provided at 3,691 stations (4 times more than in 2013-14), while fog safety devices have increased 352 times. The indigenous Kavach automatic train protection system is now operational on 1,465 km (Kavach 3.2) and 2,490 km (Kavach 4.0) routes, with total investment so far reaching ₹3,874.9 crore.
Minister Vaishnaw stated that all projects are being executed in a time-bound and integrated manner under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
The developments signal a new chapter for Odisha’s connectivity, promising faster trains, better passenger facilities, improved freight movement, and significantly enhanced safety for millions of passengers and goods across the state.
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