Prime Minister’s flagship platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, PRAGATI, has marked a significant milestone with the successful conduct of its 50th meeting. Since its launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, PRAGATI has transformed governance by enabling real-time monitoring and resolution of key infrastructure projects and public grievances through direct Prime Ministerial review. The platform exemplifies cooperative federalism, bringing together the Centre, States, and Union Ministries on a single digital interface. Over a decade, PRAGATI has helped accelerate decision-making, resolution of issues causing delay in key infrastructure projects, and instilled a strong culture of accountability. Today, in this special series, we take a look at the Haridaspur-Paradeep New Rail Line located in Odisha.
The Haridaspur-Paradeep New Rail Line, spanning 82 km in Odisha, was conceived to establish a direct, high-capacity rail link between the mineral-rich hinterland of eastern India and Paradeep Port. The project was sponsored by the Ministry of Railways and was sanctioned in January 1997. Despite clear strategic justification and technical preparedness, project execution encountered a familiar set of challenges like Land acquisition delays, financial issues and delays in licenses and approvals. These issues were compounded by forest and environmental clearances, civil works and formation activities progressing unevenly, threatening to undermine the project’s delivery timelines and cost efficiency.
The project’s trajectory shifted decisively following its escalation to PRAGATI review in August 2018. Recognising the project’s national importance for port-based logistics and freight mobility, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued clear, time-bound directions to the Government of Odisha, the Ministry of Railways, and district administrations to resolve pending land acquisition and statutory clearances in a mission mode. Following the PRAGATI review, land acquisition activities were expedited through focused administrative intervention and through structured compensation mechanisms and direct engagement with affected landowners. Approved as early as 1996 but stalled for decades, the project gained decisive momentum after being reviewed under the PRAGATI mechanism and was commissioned in 2020. The broader public promise was realised when the first passenger train was finally flagged off in March 2024, marking the corridor not just as a freight artery, but as a long-awaited catalyst for balanced regional development.
