BJD MP Warns Railway Minister Over Delayed Odisha Rail Projects

Highlighting delays in rail connectivity in Odisha’s tribal districts, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Muzibulla Khan on Tuesday warned that his party would not allow the Railway Minister to visit the state if promised rail projects remain incomplete.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, Khan pointed to the decade-long delay in rail projects connecting Jeypore, Nabarangpur, and Malkangiri. He recalled that in 2016, under the leadership of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the state government signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with then Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

According to Khan, the first MoU outlined that the Odisha government would provide land and bear 50% of construction costs for the 40-km Jeypore-Nabarangpur rail line, but the project has yet to materialize.

The MP emphasized that the BJD remains committed to holding the central government accountable and urged expedited action to complete these long-pending rail projects for the benefit of tribal communities.