Bhubaneswar: Railway projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore will be sanctioned for Odisha in the next five years.

This was revealed by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at an event organised in the capital city here to felicitate the newly-elected BJP MPs and MLAs in Odisha today.

“With the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, railway projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore will be brought to Odisha in the next five years. This is my promise to you,” said Vaishnaw at the event.

The Railway Minister claimed that altogether 1,826 km new rail tracks have been laid in Odisha in last 10 years of BJP rule at the Centre.

“The BJP government at the Centre has constructed 1,826 km new rail tracks in Odisha in last 10 years. The total railway network in neighbouring Sri Lanka is 1,700 km. So, the Railways has achieved a record in terms of new tracks in Odisha,” he said.

The Railway Minister stated that the previous UPA government at the Centre had sanctioned only Rs 800 crore to Odisha in the Railway Budget 10 years ago. But, the BJP government has been sanctioning over Rs 10,000 crore annually for the development of railway sector in the state, he said.