Rail corridor for Odisha bauxite mines days after tribal-police clash

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2 min readBhubaneswarApr 23, 2026 03:40 AM IST

Rail corridor for Odisha bauxite mines days after tribal-police clash The notification came days after a violent clash broke out between tribals and police over the construction of a 3.5-km approach road to the Sijimali block.

As tribals in Odisha’s Rayagada district continue to protest against the proposed bauxite mining project in Sijimali, the Centre has notified a dedicated rail corridor for the Sijimali and Kutrumali mines.

The new broad gauge (BG) line connecting Tikiri station to the Kutrumali and Sijimali bauxite mines on the Waltair division under East Coast Railway (ECoR) was notified in an order issued by the railway zone on Tuesday. The notification came days after a violent clash broke out between tribals and police over the construction of a 3.5-km approach road to the Sijimali block. Over 40 policemen and nearly 25 tribals sustained injuries in the clash.

Officials said the objective of the special railway project is to strengthen mineral evacuation and improve logistics connectivity to bauxite reserves. Though details — including the route plan, estimated cost, and land requirement — of the nearly 20-km railway project are not yet known, sources said lessees of the two bauxite mines may fund the project. While Vedanta bagged the Sijimali mine in February 2023, Adani Group-owned Kalinga Alumina Ltd (earlier Mundra Aluminium Ltd) was declared the preferred bidder for the Kutrumali bauxite block around the same time.

The Sijimali and Kutrumali bauxite reserves are part of the Eastern Ghats hill ranges and interspersed with valleys. The protesting tribals have opposed the railway project, saying the infrastructure is aimed at benefiting corporates seeking to exploit the region, which they argue would endanger their livelihoods.

Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More

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