One of the oldest and important projects of the state Khurda Road-Balangir (289 km) new line received an allocation of ₹891 crore. This new line sanctioned in 1994-95 will connect western Odisha with the coastal part of the state. Khurda Road to Mahipur (77km) section from Khurda Road end and Balangir to Bicchupali (15km) section from Balangir end have not yet been commissioned. Work on other sections is underway.
Another new line project Angul-Sukinda Road (98.7km) sanctioned in 1997-98 has received a budget grant of ₹475 crore. Project work is underway as it is an important line for the industrial belt.
Talcher-Bimalagarh (154 km) new line, another important project, got ₹250 crore against last year’s Rs 10 crore. This project sanctioned in 2004-05 got delayed due to land acquisition and other issues.
Another old project Haridaspur-Paradip (82km) new line has received ₹85 crore. In the budget, the Centre has sanctioned final location surveys of Malkangiri-Bhadrachalam new line (125km), Junagarh-Nabarangpur new line (118km) and Talcher-Ganjam-Gopalpur new line (282km). With the sanction of the final survey of Malkangiri-Bhadrachalam and Junagarh-Nabarangpur new lines, the railways made sure that it will connect tribal areas of 411 km from Junagarh in Odisha to Bhadrachalam in Telangana. Vizianagaram-Sambalpur third line received an allocation of ₹961 crore, while Jarapada-Budhapank third and fourth line got ₹417 crore. Similarly, Budhapank-Salegaon third and fourth line received ₹510 crore. The Centre has sanctioned ₹3,643 crore for doubling works and around ₹397 crore for construction of foot over bridges/road under bridges.
