Bhubaneswar, April 3 (IANS). Opposition party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha on Friday strongly criticized the government after Palasa and Ichchapuram were removed from the East Coast Railway zone of Odisha and added to the South Coast Railway zone of Andhra Pradesh.
BJD alleges that the BJP government, which came to power with the slogan of ‘double engine, double development’, is not giving its rightful share to Odisha. The party said the move would affect the development and interests of the state.
Senior party leader Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and spokesperson Dr. Lenin Mohanty said that East Coast Railway is one of the highest revenue generating railway divisions in the country.
Nayak alleged that efforts were being made to weaken the East Coast Railway so that Andhra Pradesh would be happy. He said that about a year ago, parts of Koraput and Rayagada districts were also included in the South Coast Railway and now on the occasion of Odisha Day, Palasa and Ichchapuram were also included in it.
He said that the BJP leaders who promised ‘double development’ are not showing courage to raise their voice against this injustice. Nayak also said that 20 BJP MPs from Odisha and the state leadership are silent, which is very unfortunate.
He also said that even though the Odisha MP is the Railway Minister, decisions are being taken for Andhra Pradesh rather than in the interests of the state.
Despite BJP’s promises, at least six districts of the state are still deprived of railway connectivity. Mohanty demanded that this decision be completely withdrawn and the railway zone of Sundergarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts be merged from South Eastern Railway to East Coast Railway to strengthen it.
–IANS
AMT/DKP
