Bhubaneswar: Former Union minister and Congress leader Srikant Kumar Jena urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make East Coast Railway (ECoR) a comprehensive railway zone by including Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts under its jurisdiction and establish a railway division in north Odisha.
In a letter to the PM on Sunday, Jena expressed concern over the carving out of the Waltair division from ECoR and merging it with South Coast Railway (SCoR) zone. “This move, which I had opposed since its inception, has serious implications on the operational and financial viability of ECoR,” Jena said.
The BJP dismissed Jena’s concerns. Party spokesperson Anil Biswal said not a single inch of railway track from Odisha is going to other states. “Rayagada division has been sanctioned. Tender has already been floated. So, ECoR will continue to have three divisions,” Biswal said adding, the highest revenue-generating railway line, KK line, will be shifted to Rayagada division. “So, ECoR will not face any loss of revenue.”
Biswal wondered why the BJD and Odisha Congress did not oppose the formation of South Coast Railway zone when the Andhra Reorganisation Bill was being passed by the UPA govt.