BHUBANESWAR : The much-vaunted Vande Bharat Express train will soon run from Puri, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday. On his maiden trip to Odisha after becoming the Minister, Vaishnaw said Vande Bharat Express will be extended to Puri as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of connecting every corner of the country by the semi-high speed train service within 75 weeks under the ongoing ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.’
“One of the most popular tourist and religious destinations in the world, Puri is known for its rich cultural significance. Puri station is now being given a much-needed facelift. It will be developed as a world-class transit hub. Once the Vande Bharat Express is extended, it will boost connectivity and tourism,” Vaishnaw told mediapersons at Puri.
A Shatabdi-type train of semi-high speed, Vande Bharat Express has been lauded for comfort and amenities that include onboard infotainment and GPS-based passenger information system, automatic sliding doors with retractable coach footsteps and zero discharge vacuum-based bio-toilets, besides CCTV surveillance.
The train has 16 passenger cars, with a seating capacity for 1,128 passengers. The European-style comfortable seats, LED diffused lighting and wide luggage racks make it different from other luxurious trains in its class.
While two Vande Bharat trains are now plying between New Delhi-Varanasi and New Delhi-Katra, the next set of trains are expected to be launched to link 40 cities by August next year. The Railway Minister inspected Bhubaneswar Railway station before boarding the Hirakhand Express enroute to Rayagada. Terming that railway station is the heart of a city, he emphasised on cleanliness and provisioning of adequate passenger amenities.
“I inspected the platforms at Bhubaneswar Station and interacted with the passengers, who were found to be happy with the general cleanliness of the station. I have received many memorandums regarding the east entry of station, which will be developed into an iconic station soon,” Vaishnaw assured.
Passengers were excited after interacting with the Minister that came as a surprise for them. The Minister also took their feedback on train services, condition of railway stations along with suggestions on improving them.