Chandikhol: Although 18 months have passed since the completion and handover of the Haridaspur- Paradip rail route to the East Coast Railways, passenger train service is yet to commence on this route.
The railways has checked the tracks and started plying goods trains on the route from July 30, 2020, but it is yet to start passenger train services on this route. The railways had then expressed inability to launch passenger train services on the route due to Covid-19 restrictions. It had assured to start passenger train services on the route from December 2020 after the restrictions were lifted.
According to reports, the 82-km long Haridaspur- Paradip rail route passes through Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts. The people from three districts – Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur, had launched a series of agitations demanding passenger train services on the route.
The railways had then said that the aim of laying the rail route was to transport cargo to Paradip port and facilitate arrival of domestic and international tourists to the famous Buddhist shrines at Lalitgiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri – known as the diamond triangle.
The Union Cabinet gave its approval for construction of the rail route in 1997. It was then said that the rail route was necessary to help Buddhists and tourists visit the three shrines. As a result, two stations were constructed for Laliltgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri shrines. It was also claimed that the Haridaspur- Paradip rail route will connect Kendrapara district in the railway map.
The Centre sanctioned Rs 100 crore for the development of infrastructure of the rail route in the 2021 Railway Budget. However, passenger train service is yet to start on the route. A local outfit, Anchalik Nagarik Manch, has warned to intensify its agitation if passenger train service is not launched on the route within next three months.
Moreover, the state unit of the Samajwadi Party has tweeted to Railway Minister Aswini Vaishnaw demanding passenger train services on the route, said Rabi Behera, party’s state unit president. Behera said the Railway Minister will visit Odisha January 7 to inaugurate Nilagiri-Balasore rail route. The party expects that Vaishnaw would announce the commencement of passenger train services on the Haridaspur- Paradip route on this day.
When contacted, Nirakar Das, public relations officer (PRO) of East Coast Railways said work at some stations on this route is underway. Passengers trains will commence on this route after the completion of the development work, he added.
PNN
