Bhadrak: Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram dedicated the new station building and foot over bridge (FoB) here to the public Sunday.
The Khurdha division of the East Coast Railway had allocated Rs 10.34 crore for the new building and Rs 3.20 crore for the FoB.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Oram said the NDA government has given priority to the railway sector.
MLAs and the local MP of the ruling party were conspicuous by their absence on the occasion. Terming their absence as unfortunate, Oram asked, “Where is the problem for leaders of different parties in getting together on an occasion which is meant for welfare of the people?”
He noted that the Central government has laid emphasis on rail and air connectivity. “The cost of air tickets has come down in comparison to the cost earlier. Even common people can afford travelling by air,” he observed. He also highlighted several welfare programmes initiated by the NDA government at the Centre.
ECoR chief manager, Umesh Singh, DRM of Khurdha, Braja Mohan Agrawal, former minister, Manmohan Samal, former MLA Bishnu Sethi and several other district level BJP leaders were present at the event.
The new station building is equipped with facilities like booking office with reserved and unreserved ticketing system, passenger waiting halls and CTI office. The six-metre wide new FoB connects all the platforms.
Members of several organisations and intellectuals submitted memoranda to the Union minister demanding, among other things, a special railway division status for Bhadrak and another over bridge near Tarini temple and a government medical college.
PNN
