Bhubaneswar, March 11: East Coast Railway (ECoR) is making progress in the construction of the Bargarh Road-Nawapara Road New Railway Line via Padampur, a strategically important project aimed at boosting regional connectivity, facilitating economic growth and improving freight and passenger transportation in Odisha.
The 138.32 km-long new railway line, declared as a Special Railway Project, is being constructed with an estimated investment of ₹2,621.92 crore including major financial support from the Odisha Government.
A major component in the execution of the project is land acquisition, which is being carried out in a phased manner to ensure timely progress. The project requires 924.64 hectares of land including 752.524 hectares of private land, 123.233 hectares of government land and 48.913 hectares of forest land. The estimated cost for land acquisition stands at ₹364 crore.
In a recent development, the notification for land acquisition for the first block section between Bargarh and Sarsara in Bargarh Tehsil has already been published. The notification covers five villages in Bargarh district, enabling the land acquisition process to move forward. Verification of land schedules for these five villages has been successfully completed by the district authorities, ensuring a smooth and transparent process.
The land acquisition process is undertaken under the provisions of the Railway Amendment Act, and the 20A notification for the first block section has already been completed. This milestone is crucial to initiate physical construction activities on the ground.
The Bargarh Road-Nawapara Road Rail Line via Padampur will significantly reduce travel time and distance, benefiting both passengers and freight movement.
The project will feature 13 railway stations, including 11 new stations and 2 existing stations. The prominent stations along the alignment are _ Bargarh Road (Existing), Sarsara (New), Dumerpali (New), Bijepur (New), Badipali (New), Dhauramunda (New), Padampur (New), Bhagatpur (New), Majhipali (New), Paikmal Road (New), Bartunda (New), Anlajuba (New) and Nuapada Road (Existing) Station.
