The Odisha government has urged the Center to run more Vande Bharat Express trains in the state. The demand was raised on a day when the trial run of the new Vande Bharat Express between Howrah and Puri took place on Friday. State demands introduction of Vande Bharat Express trains on Bhubaneswar-Hyderabad, Puri-Rourkela and Puri-Howrah routes
In a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Odisha’s Commerce and Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu said: “I would like to request you to start Vande Bharat Express trains through Odisha to meet the growing aspirations of the people. You are requested to start Vande Bharat Express trains between Puri and Howrah to provide faster travel option to the passengers.
The minister further said that there are very few fast trains connecting western Odisha and Bhubaneswar.
“I would request you to start Vande Bharat Express train between Puri and Rourkela connecting Sambalpur, which will facilitate faster passenger movement from western Odisha districts to the state capital.
It will boost inter-state economic activities and connect airports at Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Bhubaneswar,” the minister said.
Noting that a large number of people from Odisha live in Hyderabad, the minister said the introduction of the Vande Bharat Express connecting Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad would facilitate faster movement of passengers between the two capital cities.