"Will give fresh impetus to tourism, pilgrimage, and local livelihoods across region": Odisha CM on approval of four railway multi-tracking projects

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], August 19 (ANI): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday said that the approval of four railway multi-tracking projects by the Union government in the four states will give a "fresh impetus to tourism, pilgrimage, and local livelihoods across the region"
CM Majhi expressed his gratitude to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs' landmark approval of the four railway multi-tracking projects, "three of which will substantially benefit the State of Odisha",
In a letter to Ashwini Vaishnaw, CM Maji said, "The approval of these projects with the total outlay of Rs 9,450 Crore marks a transformative step for rail infrastructure in our State. These projects will decongest critical freight and passenger corridors, and will meaningfully improve connectivity for our coastal and industrial districts.
"I am particularly heartened that this capacity augmentation will strengthen the movement of coal, iron ore, cement, steel and food grains commodities vital to Odisha's economy - while also enhancing access to cherished destinations such as Bhitarkanika National Park, Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandipur Beach, the Gada Kujanga Jagannath Temple, Dhabaleswar Temple, Sarala Temple and the Buddhist heritage site of Lalitgiri," he noted in his letter.
"This will give a fresh impetus to tourism, pilgrimage, and local livelihoods across the region," he said.
He stated that the enhanced connectivity to thousands of villages and lakhs of our citizens is a testament to the Union Government's continued commitment to Odisha's development under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday has approved four projects of the Ministry of Railways with a total cost of approximately Rs 9,450 crore, a release said.
These projects include: Kharagpur - Bhadrak (Ranital) 4th Line - 173 km (West Bengal and Odisha); Bhadrak - Haridaspur 4th Line - 75 km (Odisha);
Gummidipundi - Gudur 3rd and 4th Line - 90 km (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu); Cuttack - Paradeep (Badabandha) 3rd and 4th Line - 72 km (Odisha). (ANI)