Odisha’s railway budget allocation has increased nearly 13 times over the past 12 years, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha, highlighting the Centre’s focus on expanding rail infrastructure and modernising the state’s railway network.
The minister said Odisha received an average annual railway budget of ₹838 crore between 2009 and 2014. For the 2026-27 financial year, the allocation has increased to ₹10,928 crore, marking a significant rise in investment.
Vaishnaw also stated that the pace of railway track construction in Odisha has accelerated considerably. While the state recorded an average of 53 km of new railway tracks annually between 2009 and 2014, the figure has increased to 186 km per year during the 2014-26 period.
As of April 1, 2026, the Centre has approved 55 railway projects in Odisha, including 19 new railway lines and 36 doubling and gauge enhancement projects. These projects involve the construction of 4,256 km of railway lines at an estimated cost of ₹81,739 crore.
Among the recently completed projects are the Daitari–Banspani, Jharsuguda–Sardega and Haridaspur–Paradip new railway lines, along with the doubling of the Sambalpur–Titlagarh line. Together, these 11 projects represent an investment of nearly ₹3,200 crore, while work on 26 additional railway projects is currently underway.
The Railway Minister further said that 59 railway stations in Odisha are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Redevelopment has already been completed at Balangir, Baripada, Barpali, Bimalagarh, Cuttack, Kesinga, Khariar Road, Paralakhemundi and Talcher stations. Bhubaneswar railway station is being upgraded into a world-class facility, while redevelopment plans are also progressing for Cuttack, Puri, Mancheswar and Lingaraj Road stations.
Vaishnaw added that Odisha’s entire broad-gauge railway network has now been electrified, with all new railway lines and doubling projects being constructed with electrification.
The minister also highlighted improvements in railway safety nationwide. He said the railway safety budget has increased from ₹39,200 crore in 2013-14 to ₹1,20,389 crore in 2026-27. The government has expanded the implementation of the indigenous Kavach Automatic Train Protection System, which is operational over 1,465 route kilometres under Kavach 3.2 and 2,490 route kilometres under Kavach 4.0.
According to Vaishnaw, the Centre is also using the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to ensure faster and better-coordinated execution of railway infrastructure projects across Odisha and the rest of the country.