Bhubaneswar: Nabarangpur resident Gourachandra Tripathy (63) staged a silent protest in front of East Coast Railway (ECoR) headquarters here on Friday, demanding completion of the Jeypore-Nabarangpur new line (44.2 km) and the Jeypore-Malkangiri new line (125.6 km) projects.Tripathy, convener of the Dandakaranya Vikash Mahamancha, said Nabarangpur and Malkangiri are the most backward and tribal-dominated districts of the state. These two districts do not have railway connectivity since India’s independence, he claimed.
Tripathy stood near the ECoR headquarters from 10 am to 4 pm as part of his protest. “The two lines were proposed a decade ago. Govt sanctioned the new lines and repeatedly mentioned them in the rail budgets. They are also discussed in Parliament and found mention in election manifestos, but nothing is moving on the ground,” Tripathy said.“People from the region are exhausted by hollow assurances. South Odisha is getting neglected. What they need now is visible, time-bound action, not ceremonial promises,” he added.ECoR sources said the Jeypore-Nabarangpur new line is progressing steadily. The project involves acquisition of 862.1 acres of land. The process is at a very advanced stage. Construction till 13.6 km has commenced. “For the remaining stretch (13.6 km-44.26 km), tender documents are under preparation and are expected to be floated within the next month,” said an ECoR spokesperson.The Jeypore–Malkangiri new line project involves acquisition of 2,786.8 acres of land. Private land acquisition in Koraput and Malkangiri districts is at an advanced stage. “On the execution front, tendering process for 41.5 km is being finalised,” the spokesperson added.
