Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday reviewed the progress of key railway projects in Odisha in the presence of BJP MPs from the state.

The meeting, held at Pradhan’s New Delhi residence ahead of the vice-presidential election, focused on accelerating project implementation to strengthen the state’s railway network and improve connectivity.

Pradhan said the discussions centred on enhancing passenger amenities, improving transportation in coal-producing regions, and linking them to ports for efficient freight movement. “This will support Odisha’s rapid industrialisation and overall development,” he noted, adding that the double-engine government is prioritising railway infrastructure under the Purvoday Mission.

Projects under review included the Jharsuguda–Barakote and Angul–Talcher lines, a proposed Talcher–Gopalpur link connecting Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Ganjam districts, and plans for an outer coal corridor from Jharsuguda to Tentuloi and Bhubaneswar. Land acquisition and related hurdles were also discussed.

Vaishnaw highlighted ongoing projects worth about Rs 900 billion in Odisha, stressing that railway line construction is progressing faster than in the past. He said the state has achieved 100 per cent electrification, 59 Amrit stations are under development, and two Amrit Bharat trains are already operational.

Among those present were MPs Bhartruhari Mahtab, Rudra Narayan Pani, Pradeep Purohit, Anita Subhadarsini, and Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi.

News source: The New Indian Express