CUTTACK: A PIL has been filed in the Odisha High Court demanding extension of route of important express trains like Rajdhani Express and Sampark Kranti Express from Bhubaneswar to Berhampur.
The petition filed by Berhampur-based Bharatiya Bikash Parishad has accused the Railways of neglecting southern Odisha by keeping the region off-route for major express trains.
President of the organisation Surendra Panigrahi has sought the Court’s direction for extension of both up and down Rajdhani Express and Sampark Kranti Express trains up to Berhampur from Bhubaneswar, and Lokmanya Tilak Express up to Berhampur from Visakhapatnam.
Despite repeated demands of various associations of Berhampur, the Railways are yet to extend the routes of the three express trains, he alleged.
The petition stated that for last 40 years, there has been no second train from Berhampur to Mumbai except for Konark Express.
“So the route of Lokmanya Tilak Express, which is running from Mumbai to Visakhapatnam, may be extended up to Berhampur station because large number of people from the region are working in Mumbai,” the petitioner prayed.
He also sought the Court’s direction for stoppage of Howrah to Pondicherry train at Berhampur and running of a new train from Berhampur to Surat on every Monday and Wednesday in a week as demands for the same has not been considered by the Railways.
Ninety per cent of passengers from Odisha in Puri-Ahmedabad Express board at Berhampur which is running weekly five days in this route.
“A new train from Berhampur to Surat every Monday and Wednesday is needed as about 30 lakh Odias from the region are working in Surat and other parts of Gujarat,” he said.
The petitioner further sought the Court’s direction to the Railways to introduce a diesel multiple unit (DMU) or mainline electric multiple unit (MEMU) from Berhampur to Puri in the morning and later, from Puri to Berhampur.