Bhubaneswar: Amid the row over transfer of Ichchapuram-Palasa section from Khurda Road railway division to the proposed Visakhapatnam division of South Coast Railway (SCoR), commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena on Saturday said the new administrative arrangement will not compromise Odisha’s interest in any manner.Protecting Odisha’s interests and strengthening railway connectivity is our priority. “Not even an inch of Odisha’s railway track will go to any other state. Since there is no major freight transport station in the Palasa-Ichchhapuram section, it will have no impact on Odisha’s revenue,” said the minister.He said the much-awaited Rayagada railway division will become operational very soon. “Most importantly, the highest revenue-generating KK Line (Kottavalasa-Koraput-Kirandul) is part of this division, which will ensure that the revenue of East Coast Railway (ECoR) remains intact,” he added.Railway official sources reiterated the minister’s version and said there is no loss of revenue for ECoR.Meanwhile, ECoR carried 286.3 million tonnes of freight in 2025-26, beating last year by 27 million tonnes and staying the top freight zone in Indian Railways. Earnings from freight rose beyond Rs 29,456 crore, while trains moved coal, iron ore, steel, cement, fertilisers and food grains across the nation. Passenger business also grew, with 97.64 million travellers bringing higher revenue and showing trust in cleaner, safer and more reliable services, said ECoR.
On Saturday, voices rose with urgency at Berhampur as the South Odisha Railway Development Joint Action Committee asked the ministry of eailways to remove the Palasa-Ichchapuram section from the South Coast Railway Zone. They demanded a railway division at Berhampur. The committee also wanted Balasore, Baripada, Jharsuguda and Rourkela shifted under ECoR.
