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President Droupadi Murmu will lay the foundation stone for three railway line projects in northern Odisha on December 7 during her five-day visit to the state. The projects, located along the Badampahar-Kendujhargarh, Bangiriposi-Gorumahisani, and Buramara-Chakulia routes, aim to enhance connectivity in the region. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the initiative on Monday, noting that he had invited the President to inaugurate the projects while briefing her on Odisha's ongoing railway infrastructure development. Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, these projects represent a significant investment in Odisha’s railway network. The 82-km Badampahar-Kendujhargarh line, costing Rs 21.07 billion, will connect Keonjhar with Mayurbhanj, forming a north-northeastern rail corridor. The 86-km Bangiriposi-Gorumahisani line, valued at Rs 25.49 billion, will link Odisha's northern region with Jharkhand. Additionally, the 60-km Buramara-Chakulia line, with a Rs 1,639 crore investment, will connect Odisha's northeast to the Howrah-Mumbai mainline. President Murmu will conclude her state visit by laying the foundation stones for these projects. She will arrive in Bhubaneswar on December 3, participate in Navy Day celebrations in Puri, and attend the 40th convocation of OUAT Bhubaneswar on December 5. Her itinerary also includes inaugurating a new judicial court complex in Bhubaneswar, visiting her native district of Mayurbhanj, and engaging with locals. During her stay, she will visit Rairangpur Women’s College, offer prayers at the Puneswar Mahadev Temple, and inaugurate a tribal research center and sub-divisional hospital via video conferencing before returning to New Delhi. (ET)