The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned a fourth railway line on the 16-km Cuttack–Nergundi stretch, including a railway overbridge at Nergundi, at an estimated cost of Rs 8.03 billion.

The new line will enhance train handling efficiency on the Howrah–Chennai mainline and the Cuttack–Paradip section. This corridor currently suffers from delays due to high freight traffic from Paradip Port and lack of direct junctions for Talcher-bound trains. The new infrastructure will decongest the network by separating port traffic from the mainline, thereby improving operations for passenger and Mail/Express services to and from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

As part of the upgrade, two new bridges across the Mahanadi and Birupa rivers will be built. The entire project will feature 2x25 KV electrification, support a top speed of 130 kmph, and include Kavach safety technology. Officials noted that the proposed overbridge will eliminate level crossings and speed up cargo movement of coal, coke, and minerals toward Paradip.