Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the inaugural Puri Koraput Express and the daily Brahmapur Udhna Amrit Bharat Express. The Centre also announced a ₹300 crore redevelopment of Brahmapur Railway Station, a dedicated train for North Odisha, and extensive railway arrangements for Rath Yatra 2026.
Key Highlights
- Puri–Koraput Express inaugurated to improve Odisha connectivity
- Brahmapur–Udhna Amrit Bharat Express upgraded to daily service
- ₹300 crore redevelopment announced for Brahmapur Railway Station
- Indian Railways to run over 300 special trains for Rath Yatra 2026
PURI, July 6: In a significant boost to Odisha’s railway network, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the inaugural Puri–Koraput Express Special from Puri and the daily Brahmapur–Udhna (Surat) Amrit Bharat Express, marking another major step towards improving rail connectivity across the state.
The launch of the Puri–Koraput Express fulfils a long-pending public demand by establishing direct rail connectivity between the pilgrim city of Puri and the tribal region of Koraput. The service will benefit pilgrims, tourists, students, patients, traders and local communities, while connecting several important towns across coastal, western and southern Odisha.
The Brahmapur–Udhna Amrit Bharat Express has now been upgraded from a tri-weekly to a daily service, offering greater convenience for passengers travelling between Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The enhanced frequency is expected to improve mobility for migrant workers, students, business travellers and families.
During the visit, the leaders reviewed the ongoing redevelopment of Puri Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and assessed preparations for Rath Yatra 2026. The Railway Minister announced that Indian Railways will operate more than 300 special trains, create holding areas for over 30,000 devotees, and strengthen passenger amenities, ticketing, safety and crowd management to ensure smooth travel during the festival.
At Brahmapur, Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the ₹300 crore redevelopment of Brahmapur Railway Station into a world-class transport hub equipped with modern passenger facilities, improved accessibility, contemporary architecture and seamless multimodal connectivity. He also assured that North Odisha will soon receive a dedicated train service, addressing a long-standing regional demand.
The Railway Minister reaffirmed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government remains committed to expanding railway infrastructure across Odisha, improving regional connectivity and supporting the vision of Viksit Odisha and Viksit Bharat through better transport and economic opportunities.
Conclusion
The launch of new train services, station redevelopment projects and enhanced Rath Yatra arrangements reflects Indian Railways’ continued focus on improving connectivity, passenger convenience and regional development across Odisha.
