The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a new 130-km-long Jeypore-Malkangiri railway line project. The estimated Rs 2,676.11- crore project covering Koraput and Malkangiri districts is likely to be completed by 2021-22.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the project.
Malkangiri and Koraput districts are among the worst-affected leftwing extremism (lWE) districts in the country. These areas are also amongst the 115 aspirational districts which Prime Minister Modi wants to develop to achieve the vision of New India by 2022.
The proposed new railway line will connect Malkangiri, Boipariguda, Tanginiguda, Mathili, Pondripani Road and other major towns to Jeypore station on the existing Kottavalasa-Kirandul line. Further, connectivity to important towns like Koraput, Jeypore, Jagdalpur, Dantewara will improve. It will also result in short lead to many other places of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
At present Malkangiri has no railway connectivity. The new railway line will provide basic infrastructure support for overall development including industrial development of the area having large socio economic ramifications. This project besides providing connectivity to the region will help provide economic opportunities to the people. It will also help in combating the Maoist problem through development.