Dikhyaa Mohanty 
On May 18 at about 12:30 PM via video conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the cornerstone and dedicate a number of railway projects totaling more than Rs 8000 crores in Odisha. The Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah will also be flagged off by the prime minister at the occasion. The districts of Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore in Odisha and Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur in West Bengal would be traversed by the railway. The train will make rail passengers’ travel experiences quicker, more pleasant, and convenient. It will also increase tourism and support regional economic growth.
The Prime Minister will officially lay the cornerstone for the renovation of the railway stations in Puri and Cuttack. The newly constructed stations will offer all contemporary conveniences, giving rail travelers a first-rate experience. The Odisha rail network would be entirely electrified, according to the prime minister. As a result, there will be less need for imported crude oil and operating and maintenance expenses will be lower.
A new broad gauge rail route between Angul and Sukinda, a third line linking Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga, and a new broad gauge line between Bichhupali and Jhartarbha will also be dedicated by the prime minister. These would assist reduce the burden on passenger traffic in these rail sections as well as meet the increased traffic needs brought on by Odisha’s fast industrial expansion in the steel, electricity, and mining sectors.
