TNI Bureau: Berhampur MP Pradeep Panigrahi has raised strong objections to the reported move to merge the Palasa–Ichchapuram rail section with the Visakhapatnam-based South Coast Railway zone. In a formal letter to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Panigrahi termed the development “alarming” and urged immediate intervention to safeguard the state’s railway interests.

Calling the stretch an “economic artery” of southern Odisha, the MP warned that shifting it away from the East Coast Railway jurisdiction could adversely impact regional logistics, revenue flow, and administrative focus. He stressed that Odisha must not lose strategic rail assets at a time when industrial expansion in the south is accelerating.

Panigrahi instead pitched for the creation of a new railway division headquartered in Berhampur. He argued that the region, with a population exceeding 1.5 crore, expanding port-led infrastructure like Gopalpur, and large industrial land banks, justifies an independent administrative unit.

Framing the issue as one of “railway sovereignty,” the MP said the demand aligns with the vision of a “Viksit Odisha,” urging both state and central authorities to prioritize balanced regional development over administrative restructuring.