Over Rs 2 crore handed out as Odisha begins land compensation drive for Jeypore–Malkangiri railway project

The Odisha government, on Saturday, distributed over Rs 2.45 crore in compensation to 52 landowners from Khairaput and Mathili panchayats in Malkangiri district. 

The payout covered approximately 12.82 acres of land acquired for the long-awaited Jeypore–Malkangiri railway line project.

According to reports, among the beneficiaries were 4 individuals from Khairaput and 48 from Mathili.

“The government will procure private land from 844 people. The drive being held today is the first phase and 40 families will be compensated. We have secured the consent of all involved, and after acquiring the land, it will be handed over to the Railways,” said Malkangiri District Collector Ashish Iswar Patil.

New rail line to pass through 42 villages across Malkangiri:

The Jeypore–Malkangiri rail alignment, stretching nearly 80 kilometres, will impact 42 villages across three blocks in the district. Specifically, the line will traverse 15 villages in Mathili block, 13 in Khairaput, and 14 in Malkangiri block.

Envisioned to transform connectivity in one of the state’s most remote regions, the railway project is being implemented with renewed urgency under the current administration.

Nearly 2,000 acres being acquired

To facilitate the railway’s construction, the government is acquiring 1,946 acres of land, including 714 acres of private land, 1,002 acres from the Forest Department, and 231 acres of government-owned land.

The total expenditure for land acquisition alone is projected at Rs 476 crore, with Rs 150 crore being funded by Indian Railways and the remaining amount borne by the state government.

Strategic rail link set to transform connectivity in tribal Odisha

The Jeypore–Malkangiri railway project holds strategic importance for Odisha’s tribal and border districts, which have long suffered from infrastructural neglect.

Once completed, the railway will connect Malkangiri directly to the eastern railway grid, significantly reducing travel time and enhancing access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities for thousands of residents.