Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday announced that a new express train connecting Puri and Koraput will begin operations shortly.
The Ministry of Railways has approved the service, which will run three days a week.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for approving the new train. He noted that the new service will also allow more pilgrims from the Koraput and Sambalpur regions to travel comfortably to the holy city of Puri.
According to a release from his office, the train will operate via Sambalpur, significantly improving rail connectivity across eastern, western, and southern parts of Odisha. It is is expected to boost tourism, particularly religious tourism, and enhance economic and social connectivity between key regions of the state.
Service Schedule
Train No. 18407 (Puri to Koraput) will depart from Puri on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Train No.
18408 (Koraput to Puri) will depart from Koraput on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
The train will have 19 stoppages en route: Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Naraj-Marathapur, Dhenkanal, Talcher Road, Angul, Baitarani Road, Rairakhol, Sambalpur, Bargarh Road, Balangir, Titlagarh, Kesinga, Muniguda, Rayagada, Tikiri, Lakshmipur Road, Kikiriguma, and Damanjodi
Further details regarding the exact commencement date and timings are awaited from the Railways, the release added.
Notably, activists and residents of Korakut have long been demanding a train connecting Koraput to Bhubaneswar via Sambalpur and Angul, arguing that the route would bring substantial benefits to the region while easing overcrowding and improving connectivity. At present, the Hirakhand Express is the only train serving the area, operating between Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh and Bhubaneswar via Rayagada and Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh.