Land Acquisition Begins for Budhamara–Chakulia Railway Line in Mayurbhanj
District administration moves to complete process within a month to fast-track North Odisha connectivity project
Bhubaneswar : The Mayurbhanj district administration has initiated the process of land acquisition for the proposed broad-gauge (BG) railway line between Budhamara and Chakulia, marking a key step toward improving railway connectivity in northern Odisha. District Collector Hemakanta Say directed the tehsildars of Sarashkana and Bangiriposi to complete the land acquisition within one month.
According to official sources, a preliminary gazette notification has already been issued for the 59.96 km-long project. Of this, 16.20 km falls within Mayurbhanj district, covering 23 villages under the jurisdictions of Sarashkana and Bangiriposi tehsils. The collector emphasized that the acquisition process must be carried out efficiently and transparently to avoid delays.
To ensure smooth and timely disbursal of compensation to affected landowners, the administration has decided to correct Column-2 of the Record of Rights (RoR) in the concerned villages suo motu. This move will rectify ownership details in accordance with revenue laws before compensation is distributed. Collector Say directed the tehsildars to finish this rectification process within a month to maintain the project’s timeline.
The administration has also appealed to residents of the affected areas to cooperate, describing the railway project as a crucial public initiative that will benefit the region’s economic and social development. “The Budhamara–Chakulia railway line will open up new opportunities for trade, tourism, and connectivity for the people of Mayurbhanj and adjoining districts,” said an official statement.
The project gained momentum after President Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stones for three major new railway lines in North Odisha on December 7, 2024. These include the Budhamara–Chakulia line (59.96 km) with an estimated cost of ₹1,639 crore, the Badampahar–Keonjhar line (82.06 km) costing ₹2,107 crore, and the Bangiriposi–Gorumahisani line (85.6 km) estimated at ₹2,549 crore. Together, these projects aim to enhance passenger and freight connectivity across the mineral-rich region, linking Odisha with Jharkhand and West Bengal.
The land acquisition initiative in Mayurbhanj comes amid a broader push to expand the national railway network. On Tuesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved four multi-tracking projects spanning 18 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh.
With a combined investment of ₹24,634 crore, these projects will add 894 km of new lines under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, improving logistics, freight movement, and passenger services. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the expansion would enhance the efficiency of high-traffic corridors and reduce congestion on existing routes.
Odisha has emerged as a major beneficiary of central railway investment. Earlier this year, Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna announced that projects worth over ₹80,000 crore are under various stages of implementation in the state. The 2025–26 Union Budget allocated ₹10,599 crore for Odisha’s railway development, including ₹2,379 crore for the redevelopment of 59 stations.
In addition, the Centre has approved more than ₹25,000 crore for eight new railway ventures in Odisha, involving track doubling, flyovers, and new line projects aimed at improving regional connectivity.
With the Budhamara–Chakulia project now progressing toward land acquisition, Mayurbhanj is poised to play a key role in Odisha’s expanding railway network — a move expected to transform transport, trade, and tourism in the region.
