The East Coast Railway has achieved a significant milestone by successfully commissioning a breakthrough (daylighting) of tunnel T-4 — a 4,185-metre-long tunnel located between Adenigarh and Charichhak stations in Boudh district on April 16. This is the longest railway tunnel in Odisha.

The breakthrough marks the completion of the longest tunnel not only in the entire Khurda Road–Balangir new railway line project but also in the state, the East Coast Railway said. The tunnel is a key component of the Khurda Road–Balangir rail corridor, a project aimed at connecting western Odisha with the state’s coastal belt.

Although work on the 301-kilometre railway line has been underway for decades, it gained momentum only in the last five years. Once completed, the railway network will serve as a vital link between coastal and western Odisha.

So far, 226 kilometres of the total 301-km stretch have been commissioned — from Khurda Road up to Daspalla on one side, and from Balangir up to Purnakatak on the other. “The remaining 75-kilometre section between Daspalla and Purnakatak, which includes seven tunnels currently under construction, is progressing steadily,” the railway said in a statement.

The successful daylighting of tunnel T-4 is being hailed as a significant engineering feat that is expected to accelerate construction across the remaining stretch. “This is a crucial achievement that will expedite the pace of the project and help fulfil the long-standing dream of seamless connectivity between the state’s coastal and western regions,” the statement added.

Officials said the tunnel will not only ease passenger and freight movement but also contribute to regional integration and economic development in previously underserved areas of the state.

Officials expressed optimism that with continued progress, the long-awaited Khurda Road–Balangir line would emerge as a critical rail corridor enhancing socio-economic mobility across Odisha.