Bhubaneswar: Giving a befitting reply on Odisha’s allegation of central negligence over Bargarh-Nuapada railway project, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said ORIDL has been entrusted with the responsibility of the Bargarh-Nuapada new rail line via Padampur in Odisha.
On Sunday the BJD government in Odisha raked up the ‘shelved’ railway project connecting Bargarh and Nuapada, accusing the Centre of neglecting the people’s demand for improving the connectivity there.
While replying to a letter from Odisha’s Commerce and Transport minister Tukuni Sahu, the Railway Minister said the Centre had accorded in-principle approval to the project and Odisha Rail Infrastructure Development Limited (ORIDL), a joint venture of the state government was informed about the same on December 31, 2021.
“To take the project forward, ORIDL has to conduct a survey, prepare a blueprint and acquire land for the purpose. Therefore, I would request the state government to expedite the survey and land acquisition process,” Vaishaw said in the letter to Sahu written in Odia language.
ORIDL is a joint venture company of the Odisha government with the state government holding 51 per cent stake and the Ministry of Railways 49 per cent.
Vaishnaw also mentioned in the letter to Sahu that the Narendra Modi government has sanctioned Rs 9,734 crore for the development of rail connectivity and infrastructure in Odisha.
This apart, Vaishnaw said as many as 38 railway stations in Odisha have been revamped.
“In this scenario, I would request you to kindly extend necessary support to the Union government for the overall benefit of Odisha,” he mentioned in the letter.
On Sunday, Sahu had written a letter to Vaishnaw and requested him to reconsider the 142 km new broad-gauge rail line from Bargarh Road to Nuapada Road via Padampur, which was announced in 2018. The project was “shelved” by the Centre in 2019 for not being financially viable, Sahu had written in the letter.
Sahu in the letter to Vaishnaw had urged him to sanction the Bargarh-Nuapada new railway line as it would boost economic activities in the region.
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