Ahead of Railway Budget, the State BJP has requested Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to introduce two new trains for improved rail connectivity in Odisha.
Requesting for a new Bhubaneswar-Mumbai Duronto Express, president of the State unit of the party KV Singhdeo said Konark Express is unable to meet the increasing demand of passenger movement between the two cities. Currently, there is only one direct train from Bhubaneswar to Mumbai – the Konark Express – which takes more than 36 hours to reach the destination.
Since a large number of people from the State is working in various sectors in Mumbai, a non-stop Duronto Express will reduce travel time and make it convenient for them, he said.
Singhdeo urged the Union Railway Minister for a new Express train from Titlagarh to Allahabad. Purushottam Express, being the only train from Puri to Allahabad, completely bypasses Western Odisha, he added.
In a separate letter to the Union Railway Minister, former member of Parliament Bhabani Shankar Hota demanded introduction of a new train from Sambalpur to Allahabad.
“A new pair of Rajdhani Express may be introduced from Bhubaneswar to New Delhi on three days a week via Cuttack-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Bilaspur. Apart from benefiting passengers from Western Odisha and Chhattisgarh, it will shorten the travel distance to Delhi by 178 kms,” Hota said.
Hota urged Prabhu to consider Bargarh-Nuapada new line which will provide a third corridor to Raipur from Jharsuguda. The Visakhapatnam-Amritsar Express should be made daily with improved coaches, he said.
Asking for adequate budgetary support for early completion of Khurda Road-Balangir line, Hota demanded a driver training centre in Sambalpur Railway Division.
