Union Cabinet approves Rs 325.12bn Railway Projects

The Union Cabinet has granted approval for seven railway projects valued at Rs 325.12 billion across different regions of the country. Among these projects is the construction of a third railway line between Nergundi – Barang and Khurda Road – Vizianagaram in the Waltair Division, as stated by Saurabh Prasad, the Divisional Railway Manager. During a discussion with the media, Prasad explained that this specific section has experienced an oversaturation of line capacity, reaching 137 per cent utilisation in certain segments. This congestion has become a significant bottleneck for efficient train operations, making the addition of a third line highly advantageous. The projected cost for this undertaking is Rs 56.18 billion. The third line in Odisha is expected to extend over a length of 184 km, contributing to the total project length of 385 km. Within Odisha, the regions of Bhadrak, Jajpur, Khordha, Cuttack, and Ganjam will be covered. In Andhra Pradesh, the route will encompass Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam, spanning a distance of 201 km. The plan entails the construction of six significant bridges, including those over the Birup River (488M), Mahanadi River (2,096M), Kothjori (822M), Rusikulya (457M), Bansadhara (410M), and Kuakhai (822M). Additionally, the project includes the development of 86 major bridges and 847 minor bridges. Saurabh Prasad emphasised that local industries will experience substantial benefits from these initiatives. In Odisha, the transportation of domestic coal to southern India via various rail routes from Talcher, the movement of coal from Paradeep and Gopalpur ports to steel plants, the transportation of raw materials (such as clinker and pet coke) to cement plants from Paradeep port, the export of steel from different steel plants, and the expedited transportation of iron ore from mines in the Keonjhar district to various ports will all be facilitated.