Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure augmentation of railway infrastructure from Cuttack to Puri, including station expansion on priority basis, to cater to a large number of pilgrims ahead of the mega Nabakalebar festival to be held in July 2015.
Stating that the Navakalevar festival of the lords is expected to draw around 50 lakh devotees, the Chief Minister in a letter sought the personal attention of Prime Minister Modi to ensure strengthening of the line capacity in the busy Cuttack- Bhubaneswar -Khurda section and from Khurda to Puri and augmentation of station building at Bhubaneswar and Puri with additional platforms, plying of additional trains and provision of basic amenities in all the stations and a Yatri Mela shed at Puri prior to the mega event.
Patnaik who had earlier written to the former Railway Minister thrice between July 2012 and November 2013 with a number of proposals for strengthening of infrastructure needs urged Modi to ensure smooth running of the extra trains and adequate amenities to the passengers at Puri and adjacent to the Bhubaneswar railway station.
Expressing concern over the delay in the completion of Cuttack-Baranga-Bhubancswar-Khurda railway tracks, he said that even though the Railways has sanctioned three lines between Khurda-Bhubaneswar-Barang and a double line project between Baranga and Cuttack, the projects are yet to be completed.
“The section between Khurda-Delang has a double line, but doubling of line between Delang-Puri (28 km) is yet to be completed. In addition to this, a proposal has been sent to the Railway Board for conjunction of a small bye-pass line (1.3 km) costing around Rs 20 crore, avoiding Khurda Junction Station, so that trains ruining from the South direction to Puri can directly go to Puri without detention at the Khurda Station and subsequent reversal of engine. All these works should be taken up on priority basis so as to ensure completion well before July, 2015,” said Patnaik.
Patnaik also urged the Prime Minister to complete the basic amenities and facilities as well as the expansion of platforms at Puri and Bhubaneswar railway stations for smooth journey and benefit of the passengers.