Bhubaneswar: In the Union Budget 2022-23, Odisha has received a whopping grant of Rs 9,734 crore for infrastructure and safety projects, which is 76 percent more than compared to 2021-22.
The Khordha-Bolangir and Angul-Sukinda railways are the most important in the allocation of funds to the East Coast Railway. Besides, the grant also includes construction expenses for a new platform at Bhubaneswar railway station and a foot overbridge connecting all the platforms.
According to the Pink Book of the Union Ministry of Railways for the financial year 2022-23, the budget has been earmarked for the construction of nine new railway lines and the doubling of 21 railway lines under the East Coast Railway. The budget earmarks Rs. 891 crore for the Khordha Road-Bolangir (289 km) railway line, which remains unfinished for more than three decades, and Rs 475 crore for Angul-Sukinda (98.7km) road.
Following are the other projects with budgetary grants:-
- Talcher-Bimalagarh (154 km) Railway Line- Rs 250 crore
- Haridaspur-Paradip (82 km) Railway Line- Rs 85 crore
- Jeypore-Malkangiri (130 km) Railway Line- Rs 13.8 crore
- Jeypore -Nabarangpur (38 km) Railway Line- Rs 81 crore
- Nuapada-Gunupur-Therubali (79.15 km) Railway Line-10 crore
- Talcher-Angul -Rs 18 crore
In the current budget, a total of Rs 1,806.10 crore has been earmarked for the new railway lines under the East Coast Railway.
Similarly, a total of Rs 3,643.36 crore has been earmarked for the East Coast Railway for the doubling of 21 railways.
This includes:
- Rs 164 crore for the Khordha-Barang (35 km) third Railway Line,
- Rs 15 crore for Jharsuguda-Rengali (25 km) Railway Line,
- Rs 13 crore for Vizianagaram-Kottavalasa (34.7 km) third line,
- Rs 99.53 crore for Sambalpur-Titilagarh (142 km) Railway Line,
- Rs 300 crore for Bamshapani-Daitari-Tamka-Jakhapura (180 km) Railway Line,
- Rs 50 crore for Sambalpur-Talcher Railway Line,
- Rs 351 crore for Bhadrak-Nirgundi third line ,
- Rs 961 crore for Vizianagaram-Sambalpur (Titilagarh) Railway Line,
- Rs 1 crore for Delang-Puri (28.7 km) Railway Line
In addition to this, the budget earmarks fund allocation for construction of flyovers near the railway crossing at Cuttack-Barang Road, Raghunathpur-Gorakhnath road, and Kendrapara -Cuttack road.
Odisha Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari had demanded Rs 7600 crore grant for Odisha in the railway sector for the financial year 2022-23. In the financial year 2021-22, Odisha received a grant of Rs 6995.58 crore for the railway sector.
The Centre has sanctioned Rs 3,643 crore for doubling works and around Rs 397 crore for construction of foot over bridges/road under bridges. Odisha received Rs 304.17 crore this year for passenger amenities against last year’s Rs 429 crore.