BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has sought the intervention of Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the conversion of coaches of Puri-Hatia Tapaswini Express to Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rakes.
In a letter to Vaishnaw on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, Pradhan informed that during one of his recent visits to Odisha, he had travelled from Bhubaneswar to Rairakhol on Tapaswini Express and interacted with co-passengers who told him about their long-pending demand for LHB rakes on the train.
“We had recently flagged off the Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express with new modern LHB rakes. I learnt that LHB rakes have more safety features with modular interior and fittings, more seating capacity with lesser noise and other features like high-capacity cooling, an improved suspension system for hassle-free journey,” Pradhan said.
The introduction of LHB coaches in Tapaswini Express shall go a long way in providing smooth travel and a safer experience to railway passengers ensuring the highest levels of comfort and onboard passenger amenities, the letter added.
“Keeping in mind the welfare and comfort of the train commuters, I seek your personal intervention for conversion of the Puri-Hatia-Puri Tapaswini Express to LHB rakes as early as possible,” said Pradhan.
It is also a matter of pride for the people of Odisha that Tapaswini Express is named after the famous Odia book Tapaswini written by legendary 19th century Odia poet Swabhabkabi Gangadhar Meher and has been running since 1996.
The train passes through Odisha and Jharkhand connecting Puri, Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Talcher, Angul, Rairakhol, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Rajgangpur, Rourkela, Nuagaon and Hatia.