Berhampur–Sambalpur Rail Link Project Gathers Momentum in Odisha.

A collective of social organizations, united under the Milita Kriya Anusthan Committee, has intensified its campaign for a crucial railway link connecting Berhampur to Sambalpur (Rairkhol) via Bhanjanagar and Phulbani. The committee, long advocating for railway development in southern Odisha, launched an awareness drive across Ganjam and Kandhamal districts on Friday.

A "Vikash Rath" bus, carrying approximately 40 committee members, was flagged off from the local railway station. The delegation held public meetings in Hinjili, Aska, and Bhanjanagar on Friday, with a subsequent meeting scheduled for Saturday in Phulbani, Kandhamal.

Bala Krushna Panda, a retired IAS officer and president of the committee, highlighted the core demand. "Besides some other demands, we urged the government for the immediate construction of the railway line from Berhampur to Sambalpur (Rairkhol) via Bhanjanagar and Phulbani," he stated.

Panda emphasized the transformative impact of the proposed railway line, particularly for Kandhamal. "If the railway line is constructed, it will bring Kandhamal under the railway network for the first time," he explained. He pointed out the historical oversight: "Kandhamal, the tribal-dominated district, is yet to be under the railway map, even after 78 years of Independence. People of Kandhamal and Bhanjanagar, which is about 80km from here, depend on the Berhampur railway station for their train travel."

The committee's awareness drive aims to garner wider public and governmental support for the project, which they believe is vital for the economic and social development of the region.