Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express, connecting Berhampur with Udhna in Gujarat’s Surat district from Jharsuguda.
The train aims to provide affordable and comfortable connectivity across states, promote tourism, generate employment, and strengthen links between key economic regions.
During his visit, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the upgradation of MKCG Medical College in Berhampur and VIMSAR in Sambalpur into world-class super-speciality hospitals. The upgraded facilities will include increased bed capacity, trauma care units, dental colleges, maternal and child care services, and expanded academic infrastructure to enhance healthcare services in Odisha.
PM Modi also inaugurated key railway projects to boost regional connectivity. These include the foundation stone for a 5 km rail flyover at Sambalpur-Sarla, constructed at a cost of Rs 273 crore, and the dedication of the doubling of the 34-km Koraput-Baiguda rail line and the 82-km Manabar-Koraput-Gorapur section, constructed at a total cost of Rs 1,400 crore.
The event was attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, and Pravati Parida among others.
