Odisha MPs Push for Resolution of Land Dispute in Kharagpur

On Tuesday, Odisha MPs called on Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to resolve a protracted land-related dispute concerning the Railway Employees Cultural Association (RECA) in Kharagpur, West Bengal. The delegation, headed by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, submitted a memorandum highlighting the unsolved issue of allocating 5,915 square meters of railway land in the New Settlement area of Kharagpur.

According to an official release, the problem has lingered for over three decades. Odisha MPs recounted how they had reached out to the prime minister on March 8, 1999, while ex-Union minister Debendra Pradhan also addressed the matter with the then minister of state for railways Ram Naik on March 15, 1999. The legislators emphasized RECA's vital role in fostering cultural unity, social welfare, and promoting Odia culture among railway staff in Kharagpur through its activities based around the Shri Jagannath Temple.

Dharmendra Pradhan cited an internal railway report stating the association has long utilized the land, with schools, temples, and infrastructure already established. Despite recommendations from the divisional railway manager of South Eastern Railway and other officials for regularization, the land has yet to be formally allocated to RECA, prompting MPs to urge Vaishnaw to treat the case as a priority. A permanent resolution, they argued, would benefit railway employees nationwide residing in Kharagpur.