Public Representatives and Passengers Seek Extension of Puri–Koraput Express to Jagdalpur

Jeypore, May 22: Concerns have been raised in various circles regarding the proposed Puri–Koraput express train service. The timing of the train and the unnecessary circuitous route through western Odisha have been criticized. There is a growing demand that instead of terminating the service at Koraput, it should be extended up to Jagdalpur.

Several organizations and individuals have submitted memorandums to the Prime Minister and the Railway Minister regarding this issue.

The complaint states that while the decision to run a passenger train from Puri to Koraput three days a week is welcome, there are issues with its schedule. According to the proposed timetable, the train would depart from Koraput around 5 AM and pass through Titlagarh, Balangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Khurda Road before reaching Puri at around 10:20 PM. This is expected to cause inconvenience to passengers.

Passengers from the Jeypore subdivision, as well as from Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts, will have to travel at night to reach Koraput station, which is likely to impose financial and physical hardship. Similarly, reaching Puri at night may also create difficulties in finding accommodation.

The return journey is also inconvenient, as the train would depart from Puri at 7 AM and reach Koraput late at night (around 11:30 PM), making travel difficult for passengers from Jeypore, Malkangiri, and Nabarangpur when returning home.

It is further argued that several trains already operate between western Odisha and Bhubaneswar/Puri, so introducing another train on a similar route may not be justified. Instead of stopping at too many stations, it is suggested that the train should halt only at a few major stations to save travel time.

As an alternative route, it is proposed that the train should run via Vizianagaram to Koraput, which would be more acceptable. Additionally, there is a strong demand that the train should be extended beyond Koraput to Jagdalpur. This extension, it is argued, would benefit passengers from the Jeypore subdivision, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, and neighboring Bastar and Sukma districts of Chhattisgarh, making it easier for them to travel and visit Lord Jagannath in Puri smoothly.