Odisha Transport Minister Slams Center for Delay in Introduction of Vande Bharat Express Train; Demands for Vande Bharat Train Connecting Western and Southern Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Commerce and Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu has slammed the Center for negligence to Odisha by the Railways. She has said that Odisha contributes the maximum to the Indian Railways but is being continuously neglected.

She has said that the Railways has introduced Vande Bharat Express trains in most of the states across the country except Odisha. In her letter to the Union Minister of Railways Aswini Vaishnaw, Tukuni Sahu demanded for introduction of Vande Bharat Express Trains between Puri- Howrah, Puri-Rourkela and Bhubaneswar-Hyderabad routes. She has said that there are very few faster trains that connect Western Odisha and the state capital and requested to introduce Vande Bharat Express train between Puri and Rourkela connecting Sambalpur which will facilitate faster passenger movement from Western Odisha districts to state capital. It will boost intra-state economic activity and connect the airports in Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Bhubaneswar.

She has also written that a large number of people from Odisha are staying in Hyderabad and introduction of another Vande Bharat Express train connecting Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad will facilitate faster movement of passengers between the two capital cities.

The Indian Railways is conducting trial run of Vande Bharat Express train between Howrah and Puri which will be a Bengal specific train and will be second from Howrah. The Railways has also introduced Vande Bharat express from Visakhapatnam to Secunderabad sidelining Odisha.