Bhubaneswar: After the successful trial run of Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express, the semi-high-speed train is likely to start operations from May 15, sources said on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the service virtually with Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at Puri railway station. An official announcement in this regards is yet to be made.
The new Vande Bharat Express is expected to have a total of 14 coaches – both chair car and executive class coaches – and run three days a week (Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays), but no specific date has been announced yet. It will halt at limited stations including Kharagpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Khurda, making it easier for pilgrims and tourists travelling to Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath, from the neighbouring state.
While this will be first Vande Bharat Express for Odisha, the state government has demanded the introduction of two more semi-high speed trains on Bhubaneswar-Hyderabad and Puri-Raipur routes.
