Bhubaneswar: The Indian Railways on Wednesday announced to double the number of coaches in Puri–Rourkela–Puri Vande Bharat Express.
The train will operate with 16 coaches instead of the existing 8 from August 7.
“The objective is to reduce passenger waitlist, accommodate higher footfall, and further promote the prestigious semi-high-speed train service across Odisha. The upgraded rake composition will now consist of 12 AC Chair Car, 2 Executive Chair Car and 2 Crew Chair Car coaches,” the East Coast Railway (ECoR) said in a release.
It further stated that the train now operates at over 110% capacity, showing its rising popularity. While 20836 (Puri–Rourkela) records 112.76% occupancy, 20835 (Rourkela–Puri) records 127.64%.
“This high patronage reflects strong demand among daily commuters, business travellers, and tourists alike. The enhanced capacity will allow more passengers to avail the benefits of a faster, more comfortable, and technologically advanced mode of transport. The initiative is also expected to boost regional connectivity, tourism, and economic growth in the state,” it added.
The Puri–Rourkela Vande Bharat Express is a semi-high-speed train that connects Puri to Rourkela in Odisha, covering a distance of 505 km in approximately 7.5 hours. The train operates six days a week, except Tuesdays, with departures from Puri at 5 am and from Rourkela at 2.10 pm. It has stoppages at nine stations: Khurda Road Junction, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Talcher Road, Angul, Rairakhol, Sambalpur city and Jharsuguda Junction.
