BHUBANESHWAR: The Prime Minster of India flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express for the state of Odisha on Thursday through a virtual event. This new train will connect the city of Puri to the metropolis of Kolkata.
This new Vande Bharat Express will pass through the cities of Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore in Odisha and Medinipur in West Bengal. This new train is expected to provide faster and more convenient options for train journeys in the region. It will also be a method to boost the tourism sector of both states, keeping in mind that the temples of Odisha form an important part of the religious tourism destinations of the country as a whole.
Apart from flagging off this new railway project for the public, Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones as well as inaugurated several other projects for the state of Odisha. The total valuation for these projects has been mentioned to be around Rs 8000 Cr. These include the redevelopment of the Puri and Cuttack railway stations of the state to equip them with modern facilities and world-class amenities.
Narendra Modi also mentioned that the state of Odisha will soon achieve 100% electrification of the entire railway network in the state and this will reduce the operating and maintenance cost as well as reduce the reliance on oil being imported from other nations.
He also initiated the project of doubling the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line, creation of a new broad gauge rail line between Angul and Sukinda, a third railway track connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga and a new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha. These upcoming projects will support the ever-increased traffic demands as a result of rapid industrial development in several sectors in Odisha and the increased tourist flow in the state in the modern day.
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