Koraput: The Koraput District Journalists’ Association has submitted a demand letter to Hon’ble Koraput MP, Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka, requesting the initiation of a Vande Bharat train service between Koraput and Bhubaneswar. The association has urged the MP to raise this demand during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha.
The letter proposes extending the currently running Bhubaneswar–Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express (20841) up to Koraput via Araku. The justification provided highlights that while the rail distance from Koraput to Bhubaneswar via Rayagada is 682 km, the distance via Araku–Visakhapatnam is only 657 km. Currently, the Vande Bharat travels 442 km between Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam in about 5 hours. By extending it an additional 215 km, the entire journey to Koraput via Nandapur and Lamtaput blocks could be completed in around 9 hours.
This extension would directly connect underdeveloped blocks like Nandapur and Lamtaput with the state capital, Bhubaneswar. It would also ease the passenger load on the only existing Hirakhand Express that currently serves travelers from this region. The people of aspirational districts like undivided Koraput would benefit immensely.
The letter emphasizes that due to poor railway connectivity, there has been limited social and economic progress in the undivided Koraput district. At present, only an Intercity and one Vande Bharat train operate between Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam. The association has requested the Vande Bharat to be extended via Araku, Padua, Bheja, and Machkund to reach Koraput.
The request letter has also been forwarded to the Ministry of Railways, and the MP has assured that he will raise the issue in the coming days. Notable members present during the submission included Association President Shashadhar Raut, Editor Ranjan N Das, Rajendra Kumar Gouda, Bhawani Shankar Mishra, Soumya Ranjan Sahu, Subrata Mohanty, Chandra Kant Sutar, and Hemant Kumar Panigrahi.