Orissa is well-connected with the national rail network. It has rail lines of 2287 km, including 91 km of narrow gauge. The Orissa railway network is a part of the East Coast Railway, which is the largest carrier of commercial load in both freight as well as passenger traffic in the country.

• Orissa is a critical link between eastern and western India through the railway network of South-Eastern and East-Coast Railways.
• With the commissioning of the Talcher-Sambalpur railway line, a vital link has been established between Coastal and Western Orissa.
• While construction of the Koraput-Rayagada line has been completed, work on the Daitari-Banspani (expected completion is by 2006) and Khurda Road-Bolangir railway links are in progress.
• Development of Haridaspur-Paradeep and Angul-Duburi-Sukinda Road rail links, currently being planned, will connect the resource base to the industries.

The government of Orissa has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited for the Haridaspur-Paradeep link. The project cost is expected to be Rs. 540 crore and is expected to be complete by 2008. Out of the total of 942 acres, 770 acres have already been handed over to the railways.

Rail Vikas Nigam Limited will also take up the Angul-Duburi-Sukinda Road link under PPP, estimated to cost around Rs. 344 crore.

To meet the challenges of increased traffic the following survey has been conducted: