Will Pyari Mohan share dais with CM Naveen?

Bhubaneswar: Days after media reports emerged about Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Mohapatra sharing dais with chief minister Naveen Patnaik at a Nabakalebar project inauguration in Puri, today the former informed the media about such an event tomorrow where both are invited to attend.

Though Mohapatra, once considered the Chanakya of BJD has not yet confirmed whether he will attend the gathering, he stated that the invitation was from the Railways to attend the inauguration of new train to Begunia from Khurda.

“Yes, I received a call from divisional railway manager (DRM), Khurda to attend the function which of course is a great pleasure for me. This is nothing to do with all previous media reports about me and the CM attending a same function,” Mohapatra said.

Asked whether he will attend the function, the CM’s former political advisor and party strategist said, “I have other appointments for tomorrow and if time permits will attend it.”

In his usual style he added, “Its a 50: 50.”

The Railways has organized a function tomorrow for the inauguration of new train on Khurda-Bolangir line. Twenty years after the 289-km broad guage line was sanctioned, the first train will run on first 32-km stretch till Begunia tomorrow.

The new train will be flagged-off by union railways minister Suresh Prabhu who is scheduled to attend a function here.
Interestingly, trial run was successfully conducted on this track on August 31 last year. The much-awaited line is significant not only for connecting backward pockets of central Odisha districts but also linking the coastal regions with the western pockets of the State.

Sources in the ECoR said, the 32-km stretch from Khurda Road to Begunia has seven road overbridges (ROB), three big bridges and 55 small bridges. It will have two major stations - Khurda and Begunia.

Sources added, while the first 32-km stretch is complete, the next phase will comprise completion of the line till Raja Sunakhala measuring a total of 46-km which is expected to be completed by December 2015. The 66-km stretch till Nayagarh is likely to be completed by the end of 2015-16 financial year.

The line will link Khurda with Nayagarh, Boudh, Sonepur and Balangir districts. A number of emerging urban areas and rural pockets in these districts will be connected by the railway network which is expected not only to improve communication but also to spur development.

Smaller towns such as Daspalla, Banigochha, Manipur and Boudh will be linked by the line. Work at the Bolangir side of the project has also taken off.