Bhubaneswar: Shrinking of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) jurisdiction due to transfer of Ichchapuram-Palasa section from Khurda Road railway division to the proposed Visakhapatnam division of South Coast Railway (SCoR) evoked strong reactions from Congress, BJD and other organisations on Friday.BJD’s Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra in a letter to railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday strongly opposed this railway move. “This decision impacts Odisha, a state that contributes significantly to Indian Railways’ freight earnings through coal, minerals, and industrial output,” he added.He said any diversion of jurisdiction over such high-revenue sections risks financial loss, weakens administrative control, and dilutes Odisha’s role in railway network planning and prioritisation. “I urge you to immediately roll back this revision and ensure that no changes affecting Odisha are implemented without due consultation and concurrence with the people of Odisha and their public representatives,” said Patra in the letter.Addressing a press conference here on Friday, BJD’s Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said Odisha’s self-respect is mortgaged by double-engine govt before Andhra Pradesh govt. “Now ECoR is the highest-earning and freight-loading zone among the Indian Railways. The Centre initially bifurcated ECoR and created a major part of SCoR. It is a conspiracy to weaken ECoR and reduce Odisha’s role in railway network planning,” he added.Koraput MP and Congress leader Saptagiri Ulaka said the double-engine govt is good for nothing as it cannot protect Odisha’s interest. “I urge the railway minister to halt the proposed bifurcation of the Palasa-Ichchapuram section from ECoR. It will disrupt administrative efficiency, freight planning and passenger services in southern Odisha,” he added.He said the Centre took this decision under the pressure of Andhra Pradesh govt. “Without Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s support, BJP govt at the Centre will collapse. To appease him, the Centre has done this. People of Odisha will not forget this,” he added.He also stated that govt should strengthen Rayagada railway division and establish a railway division at Berhampur.Satyabrata Panda, BJP state spokesperson, rubbished the allegations made by both BJD and Congress leaders. “It is being done by the Railways for effective governance. This decision will not hamper Odisha’s interest,” he added.However, Berhampur BJP MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy has written to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi regarding the merger of the Palasa-Ichchapuram rail section with Visakhapatnam division of the SCoR. “We must protect Odisha’s railway sovereignty!” he added.He said this section is the economic artery of south Odisha. Severing it from ECoR will hurt our logistics and revenue. “Instead of shrinking, we demand creation of a new railway division at Berhampur,” he added.