Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday reviewed the ongoing redevelopment of Bhubaneswar railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
The Minister inspected passenger-focused improvements, such as enhanced accessibility, better circulation spaces, modern amenities resembling airport facilities, and overall upgrades aimed at elevating the travel experience. Vaishnaw engaged directly with passengers, who shared positive feedback on the changes, and urged officials to accelerate work for timely completion. He also directed swift resolution of pending issues for the proposed elevated corridor on the station’s eastern side.
Addressing the scale of railway development, Vaishnaw noted that projects worth over Rs 90,000 crore are underway across Odisha, covering new lines, station modernisations, and safety enhancements. He further emphasised that Odisha has received a record budget allocation of over Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 10,928 crore) for railway development, which is significantly higher and nearly 13 times more than the average allocation in previous decades.
Highlighting inclusive growth, he announced a special emphasis on improving connectivity in western Odisha’s tribal and aspirational districts through the Junagarh–Nabarangpur–Jeypore–Malkangiri–Bhadrachalam corridor. He also informed that 59 railway stations across Odisha are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme with Rs 2,439 crore allocated for modernisation.
The Minister also outlined plans for a four-line railway corridor along coastal Odisha from Balasore to Berhampur. This initiative aims to enhance capacity on the East Coast Railway zone and relieve congestion on the critical Howrah–Chennai main line. He emphasised that these transformative initiatives will strengthen regional connectivity, support economic growth, and integrate Odisha more closely with national freight and passenger networks.
Reiterating the government’s vision, he affirmed that railway infrastructure across Odisha will continue to be upgraded with a focus on speed, safety, and passenger comfort, ensuring balanced and inclusive development across all regions of the state.
Later, Vaishnaw participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Heterogeneous Integration Packaging Solutions (3D Glass Solutions) project.
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