PM Sanctioned Puri-Konark Rail Line: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has given the green light to the much awaited Puri-Konark Rail Line, with a substantial allocation of Rs 492 Crores for the construction of this 32-kilometer-long rail route. The Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, disclosed this information during a media interaction in Bhubaneswar.

Shri Vaishnaw further announced that the project has received approval, and the necessary funds are secured. Construction will commence promptly upon acquiring the required land, which amounts to 217 acres. He also appealed for cooperation from the State Government regarding land acquisition.

Upon its completion, this rail line will bolster Spiritual, Heritage, and Coastal Tourism. Additionally, the line will host Vistadome train services, facilitating travel between the Konark Sun Temple and the revered Shri Jagannath Temple. The trains on this route will showcase Jagannath culture, and plans include establishing 4 to 5 tourist hubs along the line. The Railways will collaborate with the Jagannath Temple Administration to promote Jagannath culture within the rail sector.

Furthermore, Shri Vaishnaw highlighted the significant infrastructure development in Odisha, with 409 Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and Road Under Bridges (RUBs) completed over the past decade, and an additional 220 currently underway.

In addition to these developments, Shri Vaishnaw also unveiled five Commemorative Postage Stamps honoring Legendary Poets of Odisha and the Cultural Heritage of Western Odisha via video conferencing from Bhubaneswar. He inaugurated 42 Branch Post Offices across 7 districts of Western Odisha. The ceremony, held at Biju Patnaik Auditorium, Sambalpur University, Burla, was graced by the presence of the Honorable Union Minister of Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.