In response to Unstarred Question No. 1895, addressed on 11.02.2026 by Dr. Rabindra Narayan Behera, regarding the Jajpur Road-Dhamra-Biraja Kshetra rail link project, the Minister of Railways (Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw) stated the following: The survey for the Jajpur–Dhamra new line (101 km) has been completed and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared. Sanctioning the project requires consultation with various stakeholders, including State Governments, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Finance. Exact timelines cannot be fixed due to the dynamic nature of project sanctioning. Sanction of any railway project depends on parameters/factors which include anticipated traffic projections, remunerativeness of the proposed route, first and last mile connectivity, connection of missing links, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, demands raised by State Governments/Central Ministries/Public representatives, Railway's own operational requirements, socio-economic considerations, and overall availability of funds.
Key Entities Referenced
Jajpur Road-Dhamra-Biraja Kshetra Rail Link Project: Proposed railway project for linking Jajpur Road, Dhamra, and Biraja Kshetra. The DPR has been prepared.
Ministry of Railways: The ministry responsible for the proposed railway project.
NITI Aayog: Government body whose appraisal is required for project sanctioning.
Detailed Project Report (DPR): A report that requires consultation with various stakeholders including State Governments and NITI Aayog.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1895
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026
JAJPUR ROAD-DHAMRA-BIRAJA KSHETRA RAIL LINK PROJECT
1895. DR. RABINDRA NARAYAN BEHERA:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
the details of the current status of Jajpur Road and Dhamra-Biraja
Kshetra rail link project including the date of final cabinet approval
along with the proposed timeline for its completion?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
The Survey for the Jajpur–Dhamra new line (101 km) has been completed
and the DPR has been prepared.
After preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR), sanctioning of project
requires consultation with various stake-holders including State
Governments and necessary approvals viz. appraisal of NITI Aayog,
Ministry of Finance etc. As sanctioning of projects is a continuous and
dynamic process, exact timelines cannot be fixed.
Further, Sanction of any railway project depends upon many
parameters/factors which include the following:
• Anticipated traffic projections and Remunerativeness of the
proposed route
• First and last mile connectivity provided by the project
• Connection of missing links and providing additional route
• Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
§• Demands raised by State Governments/Central Ministries/ Public
representatives,
• Railway’s own operational requirements
• Socio-economic considerations
• Overall availability of funds.
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