Bhubaneswar, Sep 22 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate the Puri – Rourkela Vande Bharat Express on Sunday.
This will be the second Vande Bharat Express for Odisha.
Earlier, Puri- Howrah Vande Bharat express was launched in May last.
East Coast Railway (ECoR) sources here said the 2nd Vande Bharat Express will connect the abode of Lord Jagannath, the holy city of Puri with the Steel City Rourkela (the Industrial Capital of Odisha).
It will also connect Capital City Bhubaneswar, Industrial Area at Angul and Jharsuguda enroute. This premium service will offer the fastest rail connectivity between Puri-Rourkela and will run six days a week, except Saturday.
The Puri – Rourkela Vande Bharat Express will cover a distance of 505 kms in 7 hours and 45 minutes from Puri to Rourkela connecting Coastal Odisha with Western Odisha.
As per the schedule Train No.20836 Puri-Rourkela Vande Bharat Express will depart Puri at 05.00 hrs and will reach Rourkela at 12.45 hrs on the same day.
In the return direction, Train No 20835 Rourkela- Puri Vande Bharat Express will depart Rourkela at 14.10 hrs and will reach Puri at 21.40 hrs.
The train will have stoppages at Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Talcher Road, Angul, Rairakhol, Sambalpur City and Jharsuguda enroute.
The Vande Bharat service will reduce the average travel time from Puri–Rourkela as compared to Puri-Yog Nagari Rishikesh Express which takes 11.50 hours and Puri-Hatia Tapaswini Express which takes 10.25 hours, which is the fastest train in this route.
