Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Tuesday expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for a new Amrit Bharat Express service, which would boost connectivity in southern and western Odisha.
The Amrit Bharat train, connecting Podanur Junction in Coimbatore with Dhanbad in Jharkhand, will pass through nine stations in Odisha. “With stoppages at Rayagada, Muniguda, Kesinga, Titlagarh, Balangir, Bargarh Road, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Rourkela, the service will benefit seven districts across southern and western Odisha, including the KBK region. It will also provide direct rail links to key cities in Tamil Nadu such as Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Salem, and important industrial centres in Jharkhand including Ranchi, Bokaro and Dhanbad, strengthening economic and social linkages,” Majhi posted on X.
The train service is expected to strengthen economic ties, facilitate trade, and improve social mobility for residents, including migrant workers, students, and traders traveling between southern and eastern India. “This initiative reflects the Central Government’s continued commitment to strengthening railway infrastructure and accelerating development in Odisha, bringing greater convenience and new opportunities for our people,” the CM added.
The train will operate weekly, departing Podanur every Saturday at around 6:15 am and arriving in Dhanbad on Monday, with the return return from Dhanbad every Monday.
On Monday, the East Coast Railway informed the launch of two new Amrit Bharat Express train services, which will will pass through several districts in Odisha while providing affordable and comfortable travel for passengers.
Kamakhya-Charlapalli Weekly Amrit Bharat Express will pass through several districts in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh – Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda, Ganjam, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam – benefiting passengers from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and adjoining regions by offering improved connectivity to both North-East and South India. Similarly, Podanur–Dhanbad Amrit Bharat weekly Express will pass through Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Balangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts under Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, providing enhanced rail connectivity for passengers travelling between southern India and the eastern coal belt region.
The introduction of these two Amrit Bharat trains will provide better mobility for students, workers and traders and will boost the tourism, pilgrimage travel and local economy across the regions, it added.
The Amrit Bharat Express trains are the modern LHB trains designed to provide affordable travel with modern passenger amenities for long-distance journeys. These trains feature improved seating, better luggage space, enhanced safety features, and upgraded passenger comfort facilities, primarily catering to general and sleeper class passengers.
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