Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Sunday that railway projects worth ₹1 lakh crore will be sanctioned for Odisha in the next five years.

Addressing the newly elected BJP MLA and MPS, Vaishnaw said, “Railway projects worth ₹1 lakh crore will be brought to Odisha in the next five years with the blessing of the Prime Minister. This is my promise to you.”

Vaishnaw said that even a decade ago the state was receiving a meagre ₹800 crore. “Today, Odisha is benefiting from a substantial ₹10,000 crore annually for the past three years. This significant increase, initially doubled by Prime Minister Modi and then further enhanced, is a testament to our government’s unwavering financial commitment,” he said.

The minister maintained, “The state was allocated a record ₹10,536 crore for railway infrastructure development for the 2024-25 financial year and the work is being taken up. In the last 10 years, a record 1,826km of railway lines have been laid in Odisha. It’s a record.” said officials.

Targeting the BJD, Vaishnaw said how it was difficult to get land sanctioned to carry out railway projects in Odisha.He also said that the railway will run several special trains connecting Puri during the Rath Yatra.