Finance
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched a new express train service between Puri and Koraput on Monday, addressing a long-standing need for better rail connection between the state’s coastal, western, and southern districts.
The inaugural event was held in Puri in the presence of Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, MPs, MLAs, and top railway officials.
Majhi described the event as a watershed occasion, saying the new service connects the sacred city of Srikhetra Puri to Sabar Srikhetra Koraput, benefiting people throughout Odisha.
The chief minister also highlighted the ongoing redevelopment of Puri railway station, which is expected to cost Rs 184 crore and will give improved facilities for pilgrims visiting the temple town from all over the country.
Majhi further urged the Railway Minister to establish a comparable train service connecting north Odisha and Puri. Vaishnaw responded to the request, stating that such a train would be implemented in the near future.
Addressing the audience, Vaishnaw stated that there has long been a demand for a daytime train that connects coastal Odisha with the state’s western and southern regions, noting that the current Hirakhand Express runs at night.
He stated that the chief minister had also written to the Railway Ministry requesting the new service. “On the instruction of Lord Jagannath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the train service from Puri to Koraput covering several districts of coastal, western and southern Odisha,” Vaishnaw stated.
The Railway Minister further stated that the BJP had committed to enable investments of Rs 1 lakh crore in Odisha’s railway sector over a five-year period, with approximately Rs 97,000 crore already invested in the last two years. He expressed confidence that the aim will be met next year.
Drawing parallels to the Golden Quadrilateral highway project initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Vaishnaw stated that the Centre is now creating four-lane railway routes connecting New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai.
He noted that Puri railway station is being made into a world-class facility, while approximately 50 railway stations in Odisha are being redeveloped.
According to railway officials, the new Puri-Koraput Express fulfills a long-held dream by providing direct rail connectivity between the pilgrimage center of Puri and the tribal heartland of Koraput. The regular timetable for the train will be announced separately.
According to officials, the service will help pilgrims, tourists, students, patients, traders, and locals by enhancing access to holy sites, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and shopping malls.
The train will travel through Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Angul, Sambalpur, Bargarh Road, Balangir, Titlagarh, Kesinga, Muniguda, Rayagada, Kakiriguma, and Damanjodi, enhancing rail connections in coastal, western, and southern Odisha.
The train will depart Puri on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with return services from Koraput on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, according to officials.
