Finance
Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnav announced that his department has sanctioned two new railway projects in Odisha. Speaking with the media, the minister stated that the two projects include a 120 km chord line between Khurda Town and Kaipadar Road and a 42 km railway track between Jaleswar and Chandaneswar that was approved by the Final Location Survey (FLS) for a new line between Angul and Nayagarh Town via Narsinghpur, Kantilo, and Khandapada.
The new line project Digha-Jaleswar (Chandaneswar-Jaleswar) will be finished quickly. According to Vaishnav, the approval procedure is now complete, and work will shortly start. As more places are connected to the main stream, this connectivity will help the local economy and tourism industry.
The Jaleswar-Chandaneswar line will connect the famous Shiva Peeths of Balasore district with Jaleswar station such as Chandaneswar Temple, Bhusandeswar Temple and others.
At the same time, the project will promote regional socio-economic upliftment and connectivity to the hinterland of Jaleswar and Bhograi blocks of the Balasore district. It will benefit the fisheries sector and local farmers.
According to the Railway Minister, the Final Location Survey (FLS) for the new line between Angul and Nayagarh Town via Narasinghpur-Kantilo-Khandapada and a chord line between Khurda Town and Kaipadar Road has been sanctioned. This line will provide connectivity to Kantilo Nilamadhab Temple, boost nature tourism by connecting unexplored wildlife sanctuaries and forest reserves, and create new markets for brass and bell metal crafts at Kantilo and Khandapada.
Furthermore, the project will provide port connectivity and ease the transportation of freight, including coal and power plants.
The new line is planned to start at Khurda Town station and continue to Kaipadar Road station on the Khurda Road Vizianagaram main line, merging with the current Khurda-Balangir line at Nayagarh Town station.
