Centre to provide funds for construction of 92 new railway overbridges in Odisha; CM Majhi thanks PM Modi

Bhubaneswar, Oct 30 (IANS) In a major boost to the rail infrastructure in Odisha, the Ministry of Railways, on Thursday, has approved the construction of 92 railway overbridges (ROBs) across the state, with the entire project cost to be borne by the Railways Department.

Expressing gratitude on behalf of the people of Odisha, CM Majhi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for their generous and proactive support toward the state's infrastructure development.

"Heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for their continued support towards strengthening railway infrastructure in Odisha," the Chief Minister added. It was earlier decided that both the Centre and the Odisha government would jointly fund the construction of 92 ROBs across the state, with each bearing 50 per cent of the total cost.

Subsequently, the state government requested the Union Ministry of Railways to bear the entire financial responsibility for the project.

Acting on the proposal, the Ministry of Railways has now given its approval for the full Central funding for the construction of all 92 ROBs and has formally conveyed this decision to the Odisha government, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Thursday.

"The approval for conversion of 92 Road Over Bridge works to 100 per cent Railway funding and execution by the Railways as a single entity reflects the Centre's strong commitment to enhancing safety and accelerating connectivity across the state," Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on his official X account.

Chief Minister Majhi also noted that this decision will greatly benefit the people of Odisha by ensuring faster project execution, safer travel, and improved road-rail integration.

"The State government deeply appreciates this visionary initiative which reinforces the spirit of Purvoday," he said.

--IANS

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