Jajpur Town: Implementation of an ambitious railway project is under a cloud. For the last eight years, the file pertaining to the proposed Jajpur Road-Dhamra railway line project via Jajpur and Aradi is pending approval with the Railway Board in New Dehli, a report said. According to the report, a survey on the proposed Jajpur RoadDhamra railway line via Jajpur and Aradi was conducted in 2014- 15. The file has been sent to the Railway Board for approval.
Though various political parties and outfits have been demanding for the execution of the ambitious railway project, the Railway Ministry is taking no step toward its execution. The project has been estimated at a cost of Rs 1,072 crore. It was learned that the state government has been repeatedly reminding the Railway Board for approval of the project, but the Central government and the latter are allegedly paying no heed to the demand. It is said that the railway project bears significance to boost the tourism sector in both Jajpur and Bhadrak.
Thousands of devotees and tourists visit Birajakshetra, Navigaya, Baitarani ghat in Jajpur, and Akhandalamani, the famous shaivite shrine at Aradi in Bhadrak district every day. This railway line will facilitate faster communication for tourists and devotees to these places, locals observed. It is estimated that the project could be commercially viable for the Centre as it may generate high revenue.
The survey report said that the Central government can claim about 31.15 of the revenue annually. Various outfits have written in the past about the execution of the project to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and former Union Minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi. However, no effort is being made to implement the project, locals lamented.
Besides, one lakh people of Jajpur and Bhadrak have sent letters through postcards to the Union Railway Minister, pending for execution of the project. Birajakshetra Bikash Parishad, a local outfit, has decided to send memoranda to the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, and the Union Railway Minister pressing for the execution of the project. Meanwhile, MP Sarmistha Sethi has met the Union Railway Minister and put forth her demand for the railway project. Several outfits have urged the state government to pressurise the Central government for the execution of the ambitious railway project.