PM to lay foundation stone, inaugurate rail projects worth Rs 8,000 cr in Odisha tomorrow

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for several railway projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crore in Odisha through video conferencing on May 18.

During the event, the Prime Minister will also flag off the Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah. The train will pass through Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore districts in Odisha and Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts in West Bengal. The train will provide faster, comfortable and convenient travel experience to the rail users. Besieds, it will boost tourism and promote economic development in the region.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations in Odisha. The redeveloped stations will have all modern amenities providing world class experience to the rail passengers.

Prime Minister will dedicate 100 per cent electrification of the rail network in Odisha. This will reduce the operating and maintenance cost and also reliance on imported crude oil.

Prime Minister will also dedicate the doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line, a new broad gauge rail line between Angul and Sukinda, the third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga and new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha.

These projects will cater to the increased traffic demands as a result of rapid industrial development in steel, power and mining sectors in Odisha and will also help ease the pressure on passenger traffic in these rail sections.