Bhubaneswar: Railway projects worth over Rs 80,000 crore are being executed in Odisha, Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna said Saturday.
He said Rs 10,599 crore was allocated to the state in the 2025-26 budget, a 12.5-fold increase from the Rs 838 crore allocated during the 2009-14 period.
Fifty-nine stations are undergoing redevelopment at a cost of Rs 2,379 crore in the state, he said, adding that more than Rs 25,000 crore have been sanctioned in the last one year for eight new railway projects, multitracking and flyover works.
Somanna conducted an extensive inspection of the ongoing redevelopment works at Bhubaneswar station.
East Coast Railway (ECoR) General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal accompanied him during the inspection.
The minister said redevelopment of the Bhubaneswar railway station is being done under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station’ scheme, and the work is progressing at a very good pace.
As part of the redevelopment, the station will get an elevated approach road for the segregation of inward and outward movement, he said.
The redeveloped station will have amenities such as improved access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lifts and escalators, kiosks for local products, better passenger information systems, amenities for disabled people, executive lounges, and nominated spaces for commercial development, officials said.
PTI
