After a decade people of Gajapati and Rayagada get a train only upto Naupada

• Gauge conversion work of Naupada-Gunupur (90 kms) started in 1998
• Gunupur-Naupada train announced in the Railway Budget 2010-11
• Direct train to Orissa cities still a dream for people of Parala and Gunupur as the train announced is only upto Naupada
• Extension of the Gunupur-Naupada train up to Rourkela via Berhampur and Bhubaneswar, will ensure faster and wider connectivity to this backward region  besides satisfying many other demands
• Discussion on the Railway Budget is coming up and extension of the train can still be expected if the Orissa MPs make an all out effort

RP Tripathy 

After moving at a snails pace for almost a decade, the Naupada-Gunupur (90 kms) gauge conversion work is nearing completion. Test runs on this route have been going on for quite some time and announcement of a daily train in the Rail Budget was widely anticipated. But the announcement of the Gunupur-Naupada train has left the people rather disappointed. First, because the train announced will neither connect these backward districts with the regional headquarter town of Berhampur and nor with the state capital. Second, the passengers have to change multiple trains to reach the major cities of Orissa as before, since very few trains stop at the Naupada station at present. Which means a person from Gunupur will reach the state capital in not less than 10 hours and after changing 2/3 trains.

The train announced in the Budget can actually give faster and wider connectivity to the people of Gajapati and Rayagada districts if it is extended upto Rourkela through Berhampur and Bhubaneswar. The other benefits of this extension will be direct train link between Southern and western regions of Odisha (Berhampur-Rourkela train link is being demanded by the natives of the respective places for some time and this will take care of their demand). People of Cuttack District have been demanding a train to Rourkela through Cuttack railway station as most of the trains bypass this station and take the route through Naraj. And, further if the train takes the route through Keonjhar it will provide better connectivity to this district. So, the extension of the train will benefit most places of the state and hence it calls for some persuasive intervention of the MPs from Orissa inside Parliament to actually see this happen when the Minister replies to the discussion on the Railway Budget.