Trains start running from Puri after six months
BHUBANESWAR: Train services were resumed on Thursday from Puri after six months. Total seven special trains are scheduled to start running to and from Puri.
Three inter-state trains left Puri station on Thursday. These were- Puri-New Delhi special, Puri-Durg special and Puri-Ahmedabad special. As it was the first day, less number of people boarded the train from Puri. Other four trains will start according to its schedule.
Trains were stopped from March 24 due to lockdown and state government restrictions to control Covid situation. Recently, the state government had recommended the East Coast Railway (ECoR) for removal of all previous restrictions on movement and stoppages of trains in Odisha.
The state government had imposed restriction on running of any train to or from Puri station. After this order, the ECoR has extended services of seven special trains to Puri and these trains will originate from Puri instead of Bhubaneswar and Khurda Road.
These trains were- Bhubaneswar-New Delhi superfast special, Bhubaneswar-Sealdah superfast special, Bhubaneswar-Durg special, Khurda Road-Ahmedabad superfast special, Bhubaneswar-Ahmedabad special, Khurda Road-Okha special and Khurda Road- Gandhidham superfast special.
Now 12 inter state trains (six trains for Gujarat) and three intra-state trains are originating from Odisha stations. Four other trains are passing the Odisha stations. According to the earlier order of the state government, some stoppages were withdrawn as a measure to contain Covid-19 spreading. These stations include Berhampur, Balugaon, Chatrapur, Kalupadaghat, Khallikote, Muniguda, Boinda, Rairakhol, Hirakud, Barpali, Badmal, Harishankar Road and Nawapara Road.
Stoppages of these trains at these stations have been withdrawn from Thursday.
In a related development, ECoR will extend the services of Rourkela-Bhubaneswar-Rourkela inter city train up to December 31. Whereas, Bhubaneswar-Balangir inter city special will be partially cancelled between October 9 and October 18 in view of safety related modernisation work for commissioning of doubling work between Balangir and Loisingha. This train will run between Bhubaneswar and Bargarh Road and will remain cancelled between Bargarh Road and Balangir from both the directions.