Waltair Railway Division storm rocks Odisha Assembly; BJD and BJP at loggerheads

Opposition BJD and ruling BJP had a confrontation over the Waltair Railway Division in Odisha Assembly on Wednesday.

Senior BJP leader Ranendra Pratap Swain alleged during the zero hour of the House that a conspiracy is being hatched to shift Waltair Railway Division to Vijayawada and make it part of the South Central Railway Zone. Swain further said that Odisha will incur a loss of Rs 20,000 crore if the Waltair Railway Division is shifted.

“The Centre has given a confidential record for the bifurcation of Waltair Division. Odisha will incur loss due to the bifurcation. They should provide the vision document and adequate compensation for Odisha. If Odisha incurs loss, we will raise the issue as Odias and as a regional party. It is very much unfortunate,” said Swain.

However, in response, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo refuted any such possibility. He further said that an inch of railway line from Odisha would not be shifted to any other state.

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According to Singh Deo, Rs 23,000 crore has been sanctioned for the development of railways in Odisha and a tender of Rs 107 crore has been sanctioned to set up a special division of the Railways in Rayagada.

Singh Deo questioned why BJD MPs were silent when the UPA government was setting up the South Division.

“East Coast Railway will continue to have three divisions as per the existing situation. No loss of revenues for East Coast Railway will take place. Why BJD MPs were silent when the UPA government was setting up the South Division? Now, they are creating a ruckus. They are habituated in making drama.” Said Singh Deo.