Odisha on Track: The Fight for the Berhampur-Sambalpur Rail Line

A coalition of social organizations under the banner of the Milita Kriya Anusthan Committee has ramped up its campaign for a critical railway line connecting Berhampur to Sambalpur (Rairkhol) via Bhanjanagar and Phulbani. Long-time advocates for improved rail infrastructure in southern Odisha, the committee launched a mass awareness drive across Ganjam and Kandhamal districts on Friday.

A specially organized "Vikash Rath"—a campaign bus carrying around 40 committee members—was flagged off from the Berhampur railway station. The group held public meetings in Hinjili, Aska, and Bhanjanagar on Friday, with additional meetings planned for Phulbani, Kandhamal on Saturday.

Bala Krushna Panda, retired IAS officer and president of the committee, underscored the key demand: “Along with other developmental issues, we are calling on the government to immediately initiate construction of the Berhampur–Sambalpur railway line via Bhanjanagar and Phulbani.”

Panda stressed the transformative potential of the project, particularly for the underdeveloped district of Kandhamal. “This railway line would bring Kandhamal under the railway network for the first time,” he noted. “Even after 78 years of Independence, Kandhamal—a predominantly tribal district—remains disconnected from the railway map. Residents of Kandhamal and Bhanjanagar, which is about 80 km away, currently rely on the Berhampur railway station for all train travel.”

The committee’s outreach campaign seeks to build broad public and political support for the railway project, which it views as essential for the social and economic upliftment of the region.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.