Odisha touches a high of 81 pc railway budget utilisation in 2024-25

ODISHA has achieved its highest-ever railway budget utilisation in a financial year, with more than 81 per cent of the allocated funds already spent in 2024-25.

- HEMANT KUMAR ROUT @Bhubaneswar

Of the ₹10,586 crore budget allocations for various railway projects in the state, ₹8,657.23 crore has been utilised till January. Sources said accelerated pace of railway projects including track expansion, electrification, construction of new lines, station modernisation, and safety upgrades has led to the substantial expenditure of around 81.78 per cent of the allocated budget in the last 10 months.

Among major projects, the state was allocated ₹1,160 crore (revised estimate) for Khurda Road-Balangir new line project, ₹500 crore for 154 km Talcher-Bimlagarh line, ₹235 crore for 38 km Jeypore-Nabarangpur line and ₹223 crore for 130 km Jeypore-Malkangiri line.