Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written a letter to Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal for a grand inauguration of 82-Km Haridaspur- Paradip Rail line in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on a suitable date.
The Paradip-Haridaspur new rail Line project has recently reached its final stage of completion and was scheduled to be inaugurated in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Pradhan stated in the letter.
In the letter, Pradhan wrote, "This 82 KM rail link between Paradip and Haridaspur, passing through Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada and Jajpur districts, has been one of the most widely anticipated railway lines in the state since the sanctioning of the project in 1996 and laying of its foundation stone in 1999, under the leadership of former Prime Minister, Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This rail line represents the fulfilled aspirations of the people of the region and will be a harbinger of economic prosperity for the region."
Over the years, many public representatives including Members of Parliament from Odisha showed keen interest in the project and had appealed to the Ministry of Railways for completion of the new line in my presence, he added.
"After various delays in the previous governments, it was accorded high priority status by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and its implementation monitored at the highest level through the PMO's PRAGATI project review platform. It only goes to show the commitment of Prime Minister Modi towards the development of Odisha and his sensitivity towards the sentiments and aspirations of the people Odisha," stated Pradhan.
The Paradip-Haridaspur new rail line connecting Paradip with Odisha's heartland will be a monumental pathway for the development of the state. It will reduce the disaster between Daitari and Bansp iron ore belt and Paradip port by half, he added.
It will also serve the important mining belts of Jajpur and Keonjhar.
"The Paradip-Haridaspur new rain line will provide a strategic advantage to India's prime steel hub at Kalinganagar and its many associated downstream industries, comprehensively unlocking the massive potential for development in Eastern India envisioned under Prime Minister Purvodaya vision," Union Minister Pradhan wrote.
A passenger train service is a long-standing demand of the people of Kendrapada. If passenger service starts on this line, it will lead to the commencement of the first passenger train services in Kendrapada district, fulfilling the aspiration of the people of Kendrapara, Pradhan further stated in the letter.
"Keeping in mind the historic importance of the Paradip-Haridaspur new rail line project for the development of Odisha and eastern India, Prime Minister's commitment and drive to realise the vision of Purvodaya and the affection people of Odisha have for him, I would request you to solicit the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik for a grand inauguration of the project on a suitable date," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )