BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will jointly flag off the regular services of the new Puri-Koraput Express and the upgraded Berhampur-Udhna (Surat) Amrit Bharat Express on Monday.
While the Puri-Koraput Express fulfills a long-pending demand for direct rail connectivity between the coastal pilgrimage town of Puri and the tribal-dominated Koraput region, the Berhampur-Udhna Amrit Bharat Express will now operate daily instead of three days a week, significantly improving travel options for passengers heading to Gujarat.
The inaugural ceremony will be held simultaneously at Puri and Berhampur railway stations, where the two leaders will flag off the inaugural special services before the trains commence their regular operations.
The new Puri-Koraput Express (Train Nos. 18407/18408) will pass through Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Angul, Sambalpur, Bargarh Road, Balangir, Titlagarh, Kesinga, Muniguda, Rayagada, Kakiriguma and Damanjodi before reaching Koraput. It will run three days a week, departing from Puri on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and from Koraput on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The detailed timetable will be announced separately.
Railway officials said the new service will benefit pilgrims, tourists, students, patients, traders and local residents by providing direct access to important religious centres, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and commercial hubs across the state. The train is also expected to promote tourism and facilitate regional economic development.
The Berhampur-Udhna Amrit Bharat Express, which currently operates thrice a week, has emerged as an important rail link connecting Odisha with Gujarat through Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
Its conversion into a daily service is expected to provide greater convenience for migrant workers, students, business travellers and other passengers while strengthening trade and labour mobility between eastern and western India, Railway sources said.