BHUBANESWAR: Like the Ramayana Express, Indian Railways will run a Jagannath Express in Jagannath circuit. It will be launched before next Rath Yatra, said railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw while attending a function of a regional TV channel here on Saturday.
“I have already planned this. We will launch Jagannath Express on a Jagannath circuit. We want to promote the glorious Jagannath culture, so that people from outside can experience it. They can also get food from Odisha in the train,” said Vaishnaw.
He also said that the Vande Bharat Express train will run in Odisha very soon. “We are creating a circuit in Odisha to run this train. Electrification work is underway in this route,” he said, adding, “We manufacture two trains per month. By the month of January and February, Indian railways will manufacture four trains a month,” he added.
After the BJP government came to power, he said, work on railway projects has been speeded up. “During Congress government, it was completing construction of around 25-26 km of rail line per year. But now the scenario has been changed completely. During this financial year till November 25, we have completed construction work of 238-km new line. There is a target of completing 550 km of rail line by March 31, 2023,” he added.
On the metro rail project, the minister said the state government has not sent any metro rail project proposal to the Railway ministry. “If it submits such a proposal, it will get support from us. Odisha definitely deserves a metro rail project,” he added.
He said people can see the complete transformation of the railway sector in Odisha. “Tender have been awarded for complete transformation of 28 stations in the state. We have started construction work in Puri,” he added.
“I have already planned this. We will launch Jagannath Express on a Jagannath circuit. We want to promote the glorious Jagannath culture, so that people from outside can experience it. They can also get food from Odisha in the train,” said Vaishnaw.
He also said that the Vande Bharat Express train will run in Odisha very soon. “We are creating a circuit in Odisha to run this train. Electrification work is underway in this route,” he said, adding, “We manufacture two trains per month. By the month of January and February, Indian railways will manufacture four trains a month,” he added.
After the BJP government came to power, he said, work on railway projects has been speeded up. “During Congress government, it was completing construction of around 25-26 km of rail line per year. But now the scenario has been changed completely. During this financial year till November 25, we have completed construction work of 238-km new line. There is a target of completing 550 km of rail line by March 31, 2023,” he added.
On the metro rail project, the minister said the state government has not sent any metro rail project proposal to the Railway ministry. “If it submits such a proposal, it will get support from us. Odisha definitely deserves a metro rail project,” he added.
He said people can see the complete transformation of the railway sector in Odisha. “Tender have been awarded for complete transformation of 28 stations in the state. We have started construction work in Puri,” he added.
