Odisha: Special train to leave Bhubaneswar to evacuate people stranded in Kerala

Bhubaneswar: The Railways have decided to run a Special train to Ernakulam in the flood-ravaged Kerala from Bhubaneswar via Visakhapatnam to evacuate stranded people, a railway spokesperson said today.

08463 Bhubaneswar-Ernakulam Special Train will leave Bhubaneswar at 4 pm on August 23 and reach Ernakulam at 12.30 pm on August 24, the East Coast Railways (ECoR) said.

In the return direction, 08464 Ernakulam-Bhubaneswar Special Train will leave Ernakulam at 5.30 pm on August 24 and will arrive in Bhubaneswar at 5.45 am on August 26.

The train with six sleeper class coaches, 10 second class seating and two guard-cum-luggage vans in its composition having stoppages at Khurda Road, Brahmapur, Palasa, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Duvvada, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Ongole, Renigunta, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, and Penukonda between Bhubaneswar and Ernakulam from both the directions, the ECoR sources added.

Meanwhile, a special train Ernakulam (Kerala) To Santragacchi (Howrah), carrying the flood victims was scheduled reached Bhubaneswar at 4 pm on Tuesday.

Several tourists and many other people on work from Odisha have been stranded owing to the floods in the southern state, where transport services have been severely affected.