In a major boost to rail connectivity and passenger convenience, Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister of Odisha, and Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, today flagged off the inaugural Puri–Koraput Express Special from Puri Railway Station and the Brahmapur–Udhna (Surat) Amrit Bharat Express Inaugural Special from Brahmapur Railway Station, marking the commencement of its daily operation in place of the existing tri weekly service.
Further, Vaishnaw participated in a Video Conferencing programme from Rail Sadan, Bhubaneswar, where he simultaneously flagged off the Nanded–Mumbai and Tanakpur–Nanded Express trains and inaugurated the extension of the Tanakpur–Pilibhit train service up to Shahjahanpur, reflecting Indian Railways’ commitment to strengthening rail connectivity across the country.
Apart from inaugurating these services, the Chief Minister and the Railway Minister inspected the ongoing redevelopment of Puri Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and reviewed Railways’ preparedness for the ongoing Rath Yatra. They assessed the progress of station redevelopment and reviewed arrangements made for safe, smooth and comfortable travel for lakhs of devotees visiting Puri during the festival.
The Railway Minister reviewed crowd management, passenger movement, operational preparedness and passenger amenities. Senior Railway officials briefed the dignitaries on the integrated operational plan. He informed that Indian Railways has planned to operate over 300 Special Trains during Rath Yatra, besides creating holding areas for more than 30,000 devotees, setting up additional ticket counters, food distribution arrangements and enhanced safety and passenger facilities to ensure seamless travel during the festival.
The newly introduced Puri–Koraput Express fulfils a long-standing aspiration by providing direct rail connectivity between the holy city of Puri and the tribal heartland of Koraput. The train will benefit pilgrims, tourists, students, patients, traders and local residents while strengthening connectivity between coastal, western and southern Odisha through Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Angul, Sambalpur, Bargarh Road, Balangir, Titlagarh, Kesinga, Muniguda, Rayagada, Kakiriguma and Damanjodi.
The inaugural service marks the beginning of the regular Train No. 18407/18408 Puri–Koraput–Puri Express, the detailed timetable of which will be notified separately. The train will run from Puri on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and from Koraput on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The Brahmapur–Udhna (Surat) Amrit Bharat Express, connecting Odisha with Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, has become an important rail link for workers, students, traders and passengers. Its conversion into a daily service will significantly improve travel flexibility, strengthen connectivity with major industrial and commercial centres and support trade, employment and economic activities.
These initiatives reaffirm Indian Railways’ commitment to expanding rail connectivity, improving passenger amenities and supporting balanced regional development. Together, the new train services, enhanced frequency and comprehensive Rath Yatra arrangements will strengthen tourism, commerce, education, healthcare access and economic growth, contributing to the vision of Viksit Odisha and Viksit Bharat.
