Bhubaneswar: To promote Jagannath culture and heritage, Indian railways is going to launch Jagannath Express under the Bharat Gaurav train project before next Rath Jatra.
This was announced by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw here on Saturday.
Speaking to media persons here, like Ramayan Express, Jagannath Express train service will be launched under the Bharat Gaurav project (theme- based tourist circuit trains).
Jagannath Express will launched to promote the rich Jagannath culture, food and language. Design of the train and Jagannath circuit has been finalised. The service will be launched just before the next Rath Jatra, he said.
The Railways Minister said that his Ministry is also going to launch Vande Bharat Express train service in Odisha soon.
Commenting on the introduction of metro train service in Odisha, he said, “It can be done after getting a complete proposal from the state government. Till now, no proposal has been received from Odisha.”
He further informed that the Modi government has allocated Rs. 5,600 crores to digitally connect about 7,600 unconnected villages in Odisha. Besides, 5G service will be introduced in Odisha in the first phase only. All these initiatives will help to boost the digital economy in the state, he added.
Speaking at a programme organised by a local news channel here, the Railways Minister has said that Odisha is going to witness a complete transformation in the railway sector.
Tenders for transformation of 28 stations have been awarded. Railway projects worth 55,941 crore have been sanctioned for the state, of which projects worth around Rs 4000 crore have been sanctioned during the last seven to eight months, Shri Vaishnaw said.
Before 2014 during the UPA government, Odisha was getting Rs 838 crore per year in the railway sector. When the Modi government came to power, it doubled and then increased the allocation by four times. Now, in the current financial year, Odisha got Rs 9,734 crore for development of railways, he said.
During the Congress regime, railway lines of total length of only 25 to 26 km were constructed each year in Odisha. However, railway tracks of 180 km were laid in the last financial year and this year, so far, 238 km has been already completed in the state, further informed the minister.
He also said that Odisha is the only State in India, which can become a $1-trillion economy. The State is rich in Aluminium and Steel. So, it can also have the potential to become a world leader in Aluminium production, he added.