Rs 501 crore third line between Odisha’s Khurda Road-Gangadharpur moves ahead; railways floats tender

The Indian Railways, in a tender notice floated on Friday, invited bids for the construction of a third line between Khurda Road and Gangadharpur, covering a distance of 58 km, at an estimated cost of Rs 501 crore.

The work falls under the East Coast Railway (ECoR) jurisdiction and forms a crucial part of the larger Khurda Road–Vizianagaram (363 km) third line project on the Howrah–Chennai mainline, which is among the busiest corridors in the country, handling heavy passenger and freight movement daily.

According to The Times of India, the selected agency will undertake comprehensive civil and electrical works, including roadbed formation, construction of minor and major bridges, road underbridges, and related building infrastructure.

The scope also covers signalling, electrification, and general service activities such as power supply arrangements and the shifting or modification of high- and low-tension electrical lines. 

The tender is scheduled to close on December 17, and the entire project is targeted for completion within 30 months of award.

Part Of Centre’s Approved Multi-Line Railway Expansion

While expansion works continue on Odisha’s coastal and southern corridors, similar progress is underway in the northern part of the state. The Mayurbhanj district administration has initiated land acquisition for the proposed Budhamara–Chakulia broad-gauge line, marking the first phase of the project’s implementation.

As per official notifications, about 16.20 km of the 59.96 km railway stretch passes through Mayurbhanj district, affecting 23 villages under Sarashkana and Bangiriposi tehsils. District Collector Hemakanta Say has directed tehsildars to expedite compensation and update land records for affected families.

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The Budhamara–Chakulia line is one of three major projects for which President Droupadi Murmu laid foundation stones in December 2024, alongside the Badampahar–Keonjhar (82.06 km) and Bangiriposi–Gorumahisani (85.6 km) rail lines, collectively worth over Rs 6,000 crore.