PM Modi likely to flag off Vande Bharat Express from Puri: Harichandan
In the midst of speculation about the regular operation of the Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express, the BJP said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to flag off the semi-high-speed train from Odisha's Puri railway station.
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Bhubaneswar: In the midst of speculation about the regular operation of the Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express, the BJP said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to flag off the semi-high-speed train from Odisha's Puri railway station.
“As PM Modi has dedicated the train services from various parts of the country, we are hopeful that he would visit Odisha as well," BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan told the media.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Earlier reports suggested that the train would likely begin operations on May 15. Harichandan stated that the exact date has yet to be determined, but that it will take place soon. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan are also expected to attend the flag-off ceremony at Puri railway station.
The Vande Bharat Express made its first successful trial run from Howrah to Puri on April 28, followed by another to Bhadrak two days later.
The new Vande Bharat Express is expected to have 14 coaches (chair car and executive class) and to run three days a week (Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays), but no specific date has been announced. It will stop at a few stations, including Kharagpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Khurda, making it easier for pilgrims and tourists traveling from neighboring states to Puri, Lord Jagannath's abode.
