Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has voiced strong opposition to the central government’s decision to split the Waltair division and transfer its revenue-generating section to East Coast Railways (ECoR). The party criticized the move as a politically motivated attempt to placate Andhra Pradesh at Odisha’s expense. While welcoming the creation of a new railway division at Rayagada, the BJD warned of severe economic repercussions for Odisha and condemned the silence of the state government on this critical issue.
At a press conference held at Shankha Bhawan, senior BJD leaders, including Brugu Baxipatra, MLA Rupesh Panigrahi, and former MP Pradeep Majhi, expressed their disapproval of the central government’s unilateral decision. Baxipatra emphasized that the Waltair division, one of the largest revenue-generating divisions in East Coast Railways, plays a pivotal role in the railway’s financial health. He claimed the transfer of its key revenue-earning segment to the South Central Railway would significantly weaken ECoR’s profitability and operational framework.
Baxipatra highlighted that the Waltair division spans 1,052 kilometers of rail routes and includes the highly lucrative Kottavalasa-Kirandul (KK) line, a major freight revenue earner. He noted that the division, which surpassed 75 million tonnes in freight loading and generated over Rs 10,000 crore in revenue as of March 31, 2024, also hosts Indian Railways’ largest diesel locomotive shed with a capacity of 300 locomotives. Dividing such a critical asset, he argued, would disrupt railway operations and have far-reaching economic consequences for Odisha.
The BJD leaders further demanded that several Odisha regions currently under the South Eastern Railway—such as Jareikela, Bandamunda, Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Belpahar, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, and Balasore—be integrated into the East Coast Railway zone. According to the party, this realignment would enhance Odisha’s railway infrastructure and strengthen the state’s economic prospects.
Former MP Pradeep Majhi condemned the central government for consistently ignoring Odisha’s development needs. He referenced the allocation of Rs 12,000 crore for the contentious Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh, which threatens to inundate parts of Odisha’s Malkangiri district. Majhi criticized the central government for prioritizing the political interests of Andhra Pradesh while marginalizing Odisha, despite the latter’s significant contribution to the BJP-led government with 20 Lok Sabha MPs.
MLA Rupesh Panigrahi lamented the Odisha government’s inaction, calling it a betrayal of the state’s interests. He warned that the people of Odisha would soon hold both the central and state governments accountable for their negligence. The BJD has already raised the Waltair division issue in the state assembly and pledged to continue its fight to protect Odisha’s economic and regional interests.
As part of its broader railway reform proposal, the BJD called for the creation of a Northern Odisha division comprising Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar districts, currently managed by the South Eastern Railway. The party also advocated for a new Rourkela division to include Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts, which currently fall under the Chakradharpur division. These realignments, the BJD argued, would ensure better administration and improved railway services.
Concluding their remarks, the BJD leaders decried the trend of favoring political allies like Andhra Pradesh and Bihar while sidelining Odisha, despite the state’s significant contributions to national development. They reiterated that Odisha’s people would not tolerate continued neglect and exploitation and warned that public sentiment would soon translate into political action. The BJD urged the central government to reconsider the Waltair division split and called on the Odisha government to actively defend the state’s interests in this critical matter.