Bhubaneswar: There will be no revenue loss for Bhubaneswar-headquartered East Coast Railway (ECoR) because of the transfer of Ichchapuram-Palasa section from Khurda Road railway division to the proposed Visakhapatnam division of South Coast Railway (SCoR), the chief minister’s office (CMO) said on Friday. On the other hand, new Rayagada railway division has been sanctioned, which will have the Kothavalasa-Kirandul line, among the highest revenue-generating railway corridors, it added. A CMO statement said that the Palasa-Ichchapuram section does not host any major originating freight revenue station, and therefore, there will be no adverse impact on the ECoR.“Not a single inch of railway track from Odisha is being diverted to other states. All ongoing and proposed developments are aimed at strengthening the railway network within the state while improving interstate connectivity for economic growth,” it said.“The reports on railways being constricted in Odisha and loss of revenue are based on unfounded assumptions as the state is getting Rayagada division soon with huge gains in revenue. The preparations are underway for its operations to commence shortly. This move is expected to enhance efficiency, improve service delivery and boost regional development,” said the official statement.
