Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Amrit Bharat Express between Berhampur and Surat (Udhna) on September 27 through video conferencing from Jharsuguda, during his seventh visit to Odisha since the BJP came to power in the state.
On its inaugural run, the train will depart from Berhampur Railway Station at noon with halts at Palasa, Vizianagaram, Rayagada, Titlagarh, Raipur, Nagpur, Bhusaval and Nandurbar, linking multiple key districts across states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The schedule for the regular run of this train will be notified shortly.
Amrit Bharat Express trains combine affordability with state-of-the-art modern facilities. These are designed to offer better speed, safety and passenger comfort. This new train services will boost the economical and industrial mobility by connecting mineral, textile and trade hubs, supporting business and workforce movement, the ECoR said in a release on Wednesday.
Surat is home to around seven lakh Odia people, mostly from Ganjam and nearby districts, who are engaged in textile and diamond industries in Surat. The powerlooms, from which originates around 90% of polyester used in India, are operated largely by the Odia migrants.
OTHER PROGRAMMES
According to sources, PM will address a public gathering at Amlipali Ground, adjacent to the Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport in Jharsuguda. He will also unveil and lay foundation stones for multiple infrastructure rail projects worth over Rs 1,700 crore, including Sambalpur City-Sarla flyover, a 5-km engineering feat to come up at a cost of Rs 273 crore.
Additionally, Modi will dedicate the doubling of 34km Koraput-Baiguda railway line and the 82km Manabar-Koraput-Gorapur section, with a combined investment of over Rs 1,400 crore. These upgrades are expected to improve mineral transport and foster growth in southern Odisha, benefiting industries and local communities.
As part of the ‘Seva Parv’ initiative, the PM will announce the expansion of eight IITs, grant super-specialty status to MKCG MCH in Berhampur and VIMSAR in Sambalpur, launch a national skill development programme, and provide aid to 50,000 beneficiaries under the Antyodaya scheme
Notably, Modi was scheduled to visit Ganjam district but heavy rain forced a shift in venue. He had last addressed a rally in Bhubaneswar to commemorate one year of the BJP govt on June 20.