Khurda Road-Balangir new railway line prioritises environmental safeguards with elephant passages.

Key facts

• The Khurda Road-Balangir new railway line is a 301 km project conceived before Indian independence and is nearing completion by early next year.
• The line passes through Khurda, Nayagarh, Boudh, Sonepur and Balangir districts, providing rail connectivity to Nayagarh (2017), Sonepur (2024) and Boudh (2025).
• East Coast Railway (ECoR) constructed seven tunnels covering 12.76 km and multiple wildlife underpasses and overpasses, including a 4.77 km viaduct that serves as an elephant underpass.
• Odisha reports an average of 85 elephant deaths annually; the project features 12 elephant underpasses and six overpasses between Mahipur and Jhatarabha stations.
• The ₹5,000 crore project saved approximately two lakh trees by using high-rise viaducts instead of massive embankments and was designed in consultation with the forest department.
• Currently, 226 km of the line is operational with 20 stations, and around 5,000 passengers travel daily on four Khurda Road-Daspalla and three Balangir-Purunakatak trains.