Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Odisha received the highest-ever allocation of Rs 10,012 crore, up by around three per cent from the previous budget, for the development of railway infrastructure in 2023-24. The overall allocation for railways in 2022-23 was Rs 9,734 crore, which included the state share and extra-budgetary resources.
Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the Odisha government had sought an allocation of Rs 8,400 crore. Still, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a provision of over Rs 10,000 crore, which is the highest-ever allocation for the state. To improve rail connectivity and passenger amenities across Odisha, new railway lines of 280 km will be laid and 57 railway stations will be modernised with state-of-the-art facilities in the state in the coming fiscal year.
“Like several countries where travellers get an opportunity to visit a heritage destination in a world-class train directly from the airport, we have planned to connect Lingaraj Temple Road station with Bhubaneswar airport by introducing battery-operated or hydrogen-powered vehicles. Visitors landing at the airport and wishing to visit Puri can board the train from Lingaraj station,” he said.
