If Odisha govt provides land for project tomorrow, we will start work the next day, says Railway Minister; BJD hits back

Bhubaneswar: The political mud-slinging between BJP and BJD over the Bargarh-Nuapada railway line intensified yet against with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw assuring to begin the work on the very next day of getting land from the Odisha government and the ruling BJD hitting him back.

“If the Odisha government provides land for the Bargarh-Nuapada railway project tomorrow, we will start work the next day,” said the Railway Minister while addressing an election campaign at Paikamal of Bargarh district today.

The Union Minister further said in an election campaign at Padampur that the Narendra Modi government has approved railway projects worth Rs 10,000 crore.

The Prime Minister has decided to give rail connectivity in every place of Odisha, said the Minister adding that the western Odisha will have 13 world-class railway stations and the process of this has already begun.

Meanwhile, the State ruling BJD party hit back at the Union Minister asking him to provide proof of seeking lands for the Bargarh-Nuapada railway project. “The Minister (Ashwini Vaishnaw) should show the proof when the railway department sought land for the project. He must produce the letter in which he asked the Odisha government to provide land,” said senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya.

“It is a mockery that the minister is seeking land for a railway project in a political meeting. There is a rule of demanding land for the projects. The railway ministry had earlier termed that the project won’t beneficial,” he added.

The foremen Rajya Sabha MP further alleged that Odisha has been neglected both by the Central government and the Railway Ministry.