Bhubaneswar: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday informed the Rajya Sabha that an outlay of ₹1,938 crore has been allocated for the Khurda Road–Balangir railway line project in the 2025–26 financial year.
Responding to a query by Subhasish Khuntia, the minister said the total project cost has risen to ₹5,089 crore, out of which ₹4,311 crore has already been spent as of March 2025.
Progress of Key Sections
The 301-km-long railway project has seen significant progress, with:
-
Khurda Road–Daspalla (106 km) commissioned
-
Purunakatak–Balangir (120 km) commissioned
-
Work underway on the remaining Daspalla–Purunakatak (75 km) stretch
Engineering Milestones
The project involves challenging terrain, including:
-
7 tunnels spanning 11.96 km, of which 6 tunnels (7.7 km) are completed
-
All 5 major bridges have been completed
-
Construction of 5 station buildings is currently in progress
Parallel Railway Expansion
Vaishnaw also highlighted progress on another key project—the third and fourth railway lines between Salegaon and Budhapank (85 km).
-
Salegaon–Rajathgarh (23 km) section has been commissioned
-
Dhenkanal–Meramundali (34 km) stretch is operational
-
Land acquisition and forest clearances are underway for remaining stretches, including Rajathgarh–Dhenkanal (20 km) and Meramundali–Budhapank (8 km)
Boost to Connectivity
Officials said these projects are expected to significantly enhance rail connectivity in Odisha, improve freight movement, and support regional economic development.
The Khurda Road–Balangir line, once fully completed, will serve as a crucial link between coastal and western Odisha, facilitating faster and more efficient transportation.
-OdishaAge
