Haridaspur-Paradip rail project: Luna bridge work to be over by Oct-end

Bhubaneswar: The under construction bridge over Luna river, a part of the 82-km Haridaspur-Paradip rail project, will be completed by October-end. This was informed by the executive director of the rail project during a review meeting here chaired by senior BJD leader and Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda.

Out of Rs 1559 allocation towards the rail project, Rs 787.15 crore has been spent by August 2016, the meeting was informed.

Private land of 1,456.5 acres have been acquired for the rail project which is being built by the Rail Vikash Nigam Ltd, and compensation has been provided.

Panda said, “The Haridaspur-Paradip project is Kendrapara district’s first rail project and will help to boost industrialisation in the area and generate employment. Besides, the district will be connected to the country and traffic woes will ease on Chandikhol-Paradip Expressway.”

Notably, the Kendrapara MP has been reviewing the progress of the rail project regularly and coordinating with the Centre and the State government thereby expediting the work. Though the project got approval in 1995, lack of political will was creating hindrances. However, after getting elected from Kendrapara in 2009, Panda helped the project work to accelerate.