Khurda Road–Bolangir line

The Khurda Road–Bolangir line is a rail line between Khurda Road Junction and Balangir which is under construction.

Khurda Road–Bolangir line
Khurda Road, the starting station on Khurda Road–Bolangir line
Overview
Status	Under construction
Owner	Indian Railways
Locale	Odisha
Termini	Khurda Road Balangir
Service
Type	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operator(s)	East Coast Railway zone
Technical
Line length	227 KM completed. Completed sections = Bolangir to Puranakatak 122 KM and Daspalla to Khurda Road 105 KM
Track length	306.25 km (190 mi)[1]
Number of tracks	1
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	work is under progress
Operating speed	130 km/h (81 mph)
Route map Legend km Jharsuguda– Vizianagaram line 0 Balangir Jharsuguda– Vizianagaram line 16 Bichhupali 26 Jhartarbha 49 Sonepur 64 Jharsamunda 81 Boudh 110 Champapur 112 Puranakatak 130 Charichhack 140 Adhonigarh 149 Banigoccha 165 Buguda 191 Dasapalla 208 Nuagaon 218 Mahipur 230 Nayagarh Town 242 Bolagarh Road 249 Bolagarh Town PH 260 Rajasunakhala 278 Begunia 291 Khurda Town Khurda Road– Visakhapatnam section Kharagpur–Puri line 306 Khurda Road Junction Khurda Road– Visakhapatnam section km

History

It was surveyed in 1945 but the project was sanctioned in 1994–95. The state government has signed Memorandum of Understanding with Indian Railways to undertake some parts of the project on cost sharing basis.

The Khurda Road–Bolangir rail line will connect Khurda Road to Balangir in a shorter way through Daspalla.^[2]

In 2015–16 Rail Budget, the rail line got a green signal from Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu as Rs 4682 crore was allotted for Odisha. As construction will be done in three phases, first between Khurda Road to Begunia a 36 km stretch then 76 km from Begunia to Daspalla and 194.25 km from Daspalla to Balangir via Phulbani & Bhainsapali under the review of Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik.^[3][4][5][6]

This will connect Nayagarh,Boudh, Sonepur and Balangir which are economically backward districts in the state.^[7]

Current status

The newly-laid Broad Gauge Rail Line of 10.65 km between Bichhupali and Jhartarbha of Khurda Road-Balangir Rail Line project has been completed the East Coast Railway (ECoR) informed on 10 Nov 2022. commissioned and inauguration by Sri Narendra Modi on 18 May 2023.^[8] There was a trial run conducted between the two station on 26 July 2023.

On 3 January 2024, the General Manager of the East Coast Railway (ECoR), Manoj Sharma, announced that the ECoR plans to extend the line by 73 km from Sonepur to Purunakatak in Boudh district by the end of 2024. Additionally, in a strategic move, the ECoR has revised the project deadline to December 2026.^[9]

On 6 January 2024, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the Daspalla station in Odisha's Nayagarh district and the Nuagaon Road-Daspalla line.^[10]

On 3 February 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Puri-Sonepur-Puri Weekly Express at an event in Sambalpur district. This new weekly train service, set to commence on 8 February, marks the inclusion of Sonepur district in the railway network map. The train from Puri to Sonepur will operate every Thursday, and the return journey from Sonepur to Puri will be available every Friday.^[11][12]

In a major boost for Boudh district, the PM will inaugurate the 73-km-long Sonepur–Purunakatak railway line on 20th June 2025, a part of the larger 301-km Khurda Road–Balangir railway project.^[13]