PM Modi Flags Off Puri-Rourkela & 8 Other Vande Bharat Trains, Unveils Upgraded Amenities

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off nine Vande Bharat trains via video-conferencing, enhancing connectivity and tourism across India. These semi high-speed trains now total 34 in number, providing efficient travel options across 11 states, including Odisha.

The launch of the second Vande Bharat Express for Odisha on the Puri-Rourkela route was celebrated at the Bhubaneswar railway station. Governor Ganeshi Lal, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, along with other MPs and MLAs, attended the event.

The nine newly introduced Vande Bharat Express routes include:

1. Kerala (Kasaragod-Thiruvanthapuram)
2. Rajasthan (Jaipur-Udaipur)
3. Andhra Pradesh
4. Tamil Nadu (Vijayawada-Chennai)
5. Tamil Nadu (Tirunelveli-Chennai)
6. Gujarat (Jamnagar-Ahmedabad)
7. Jharkhand and West Bengal (Ranchi-Howrah)
8. Telangana and Karnataka (Secunderabad-Kacheguda-Bengaluru-Yesvantpur)
9. Bihar and West Bengal (Patna-Howrah)

Prime Minister Modi emphasized that these trains will significantly improve connectivity and boost tourism, with 25 Vande Bharat trains already in operation and over 1,11,00,000 passengers having travelled on them. He highlighted the improved amenities and advanced safety features, including Kavach technology, in the new Vande Bharat Express trains.

The Puri-Rourkela Vande Bharat Express, connecting Puri, Rourkela, Bhubaneswar, Angul, and Jharsuguda, will reduce travel time by about 3 hours compared to existing trains on the same route. The train will operate six days a week except for Saturdays.

Key details for the Puri-Rourkela Vande Bharat Express:

• Departure from Puri at 5 am, arriving in Rourkela at 12.45 pm the same day.
• Departure from Rourkela at 2:10 pm, arriving in Puri at 9.40 pm the same day.
• Stops at Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Talcher Road, Angul, Rairakhol, Sambalpur City, and Jharsuguda.

The fares for both AC Chair Car and Executive AC Chair Car are expected to range from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000.

This new Vande Bharat Express will connect coastal central and western Odisha districts, benefiting pilgrims, traders, students, and tourists with reduced travel times. Odisha’s first Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah was launched on May 18.