Indian Railways / From Malkangiri To Rayagada, Here's How Odisha’s Rail Map Is Slowly Getting Bigger

Bhubaneswar: From Malkangiri and Nabarangpur to Baragada and Rayagada, railway connectivity is beginning to take shape across some of Odisha’s most remote regions, with four new rail lines covering 382 km moving ahead with a combined investment of more than Rs 6,879 crore.

At the same time, the railway network in the State is also seeing capacity expansion through the multitracking of the Kharagpur–Jharsuguda (Bagdehi) fourth line in Odisha.

The momentum comes as the East Coast Railway (ECoR) and the Odisha Government step up coordination on land acquisition, statutory clearances and construction. MoUs signed between the two on April 16 have created a mechanism for joint monitoring and faster resolution of field-level issues.

From First Rail Links To More Capacity
The four new-line projects are spread across southern and western Odisha, including areas with large tribal populations. Work is moving simultaneously on land acquisition, forest clearances, tendering and construction.

A major factor behind the faster pace is the Special Railway Project status accorded to the projects, which is facilitating prioritised administrative processing for land acquisition and statutory requirements.

Among the projects, the 126-km Jayapur–Malkangiri line, sanctioned at Rs 2,343.64 crore, has crossed important milestones in land acquisition and forest clearances. Construction tenders have already been invited.

The project is expected to provide Malkangiri's tribal population with rail access to markets, education and healthcare, while reducing dependence on long road journeys.

The 44.14-km Jayapur–Nabarangpur line, sanctioned at Rs 747.91 crore, has also moved into the construction phase. Major bridge works are among the activities already underway in key sections.

The Odisha Government is bearing the land cost and 50% of the construction cost, with Railways funding the remaining 50%. Once completed, the line is to provide Nabarangpur with its first rail connectivity.

Further west, the 138.32-km Baragada–Nuapada line carries a sanctioned cost of Rs 2,621.92 crore. Land acquisition and tendering are progressing in parallel.

In Baragada, gazette notifications initiating private land acquisition have been published for all 79 villages along the alignment. 20E notifications have subsequently been issued, with the acquisition process reaching its conclusive stage in six villages.

In Nuapada district, a gazette notification initiating land acquisition has been published for all six villages along the alignment.

The 73.62-km Gunupur–Theruvali line, sanctioned at Rs 1,165.89 crore, is also advancing on multiple fronts. A gazette notification marks the conclusive stage of land acquisition for all 51 villages along the alignment.

The line is expected to strengthen connectivity in Rayagada district and improve access to healthcare, education and livelihood opportunities, besides supporting local employment.

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Fourth Line For Busy Corridor
Alongside these new links, the multitracking of the Kharagpur–Jharsuguda section, including the Bagdehi area, with a fourth line in Odisha adds another dimension to the state's railway expansion.

While the four new lines are aimed at extending rail connectivity into areas that currently have limited or no rail access, the fourth-line project is about adding capacity to an existing railway corridor.

Together, the projects represent two different aspects of railway expansion in Odisha -- taking trains to new areas while creating additional capacity on an existing network.