ORISSA (Metro Rail News): Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on 26th November that Indian Railways intends to introduce the “Jagannath Express,” modelled after the Ramayana Express, during the Rath Jatra festival in Puri the next year.
He announced on the sidelines of a programme that semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express trains will also be introduced in Odisha soon.
“The proposed Jagannath Express will be introduced during the Rath Jatra festival in Puri to showcase Odisha’s rich culture, art, tradition and cousin,” he added.
After the Ramayan Express, it will be the second train in the “Bharat Gaurav” theme-based tourist circuit.
The minister said that Odisha would soon get to see Vande Bharat Express.
By January or February next year, the country will be manufacturing around four trains a month, he said, adding: “We are examining the electrification and other essential parts for running the Vande Bharat train in the state.”
The Lord Jagannath temple in the seaside town of Puri is well-known.
Vaishnaw claims that railway infrastructure development is progressing rapidly in Odisha; 180km of rail lines were constructed in 2021, compared to the 20 to 25 kilometres constructed during the UPA administration.
He said that work for transforming 32 railway stations in the state into world-class standards is taken up.
To a question, Vaishnaw said Odisha deserves metro trains, but the Railways has not received any proposal from the state government.
