Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday flagged off a new express train service between Puri and Koraput, fulfilling a long-pending demand for improved rail connectivity between the state’s coastal, western and southern regions.
The inaugural ceremony was held at Puri in the presence of Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, Members of Parliament, MLAs and senior railway officials.
Describing the launch as a landmark moment, Majhi said the new service connects the sacred city of Srikhetra Puri with Sabar Srikhetra Koraput, benefiting people across Odisha.
The chief minister also highlighted the ongoing redevelopment of Puri railway station at an estimated cost of Rs 184 crore to provide better facilities for pilgrims visiting the temple town from across the country.
Majhi further requested the Railway Minister to introduce a similar train service connecting north Odisha with Puri. Responding to the request, Vaishnaw announced that such a train would be introduced in the near future.
Addressing the gathering, Vaishnaw said there had been a long-standing demand for a daytime train connecting coastal Odisha with the western and southern parts of the state, noting that the existing Hirakhand Express operates during the night.
He said the chief minister had also written to the Railway Ministry seeking 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 said.
The Railway Minister also said the BJP had promised to facilitate investments of Rs 1 lakh crore in Odisha’s railway sector over five years, adding that nearly Rs 97,000 crore had already been invested during the last two years. He expressed confidence that the target would be achieved next year.
Drawing a parallel with the Golden Quadrilateral highway project launched during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, Vaishnaw said the Centre is now developing four-lane railway corridors linking New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai.
He added that Puri railway station is being transformed into a world-class facility, while around 50 railway stations across Odisha are undergoing redevelopment.
Railway officials said the new Puri-Koraput Express fulfils a long-standing aspiration by providing direct rail connectivity between the pilgrimage centre of Puri and the tribal heartland of Koraput. The regular timetable of the train will be announced separately.
According to officials, the service is expected to benefit pilgrims, tourists, students, patients, traders and local residents by improving access to religious destinations, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and commercial centres.
The train will operate via Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Angul, Sambalpur, Bargarh Road, Balangir, Titlagarh, Kesinga, Muniguda, Rayagada, Kakiriguma and Damanjodi, strengthening rail links across coastal, western and southern Odisha.
The train will depart from Puri on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while return services from Koraput will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, officials said.
