Gunpur: Odisha’s failure to demand execution of 47-year-old proposed railway line linking Gunpur with Therubali has dashed the hopes of people of Raygada district.
Sources said, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik recently submitted proposals at a review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on operations against Naxals and development initiatives for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) hit areas.
The CM assured the Centre that his government will provide free land and bear half the cost of railway projects in Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts.
The people of Raygada district welcomed the move, but said the Gunpur-Therubali project is as important as the Nabarangpur-Malkangiri railway project to contain Naxalism.
Unfortunately, the Chief Minister had not raised the Gunpur-Therubali project at the review meeting, locals said.
For 47 years, the people of Rayagada district have been demanding a railway line from Gunpur to Therubali for which Rs 935 crore was sanctioned in 2017-18 for the 79-km project.
The people of Rayagada were excited after the project was sanctioned. But unfortunately, it was abandoned midway.
Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka raised a question about the Gunupur-Therubali railway line during the Parliament session July 2, 2019.
The Railways Minister replied that it needs an additional Rs 1273.74 crore for completing the project. The project will not yield much profit as the estimated rate of return is only 3.19 per cent, it was suggested.
The Railways authorities said if the state provides land free for the track and bears 50 per cent of its costs it will execute the project. The Railways has sent a letter to the state government regarding this.
PNN