TV
A new chapter will be added to Odisha’s railway development with the upcoming inclusion of Boudh district in India’s railway map. On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Odisha, the Sonepur–Purunakatak section of the Khordha Road–Bolangir railway line, built for Rs 1,376 crore, will be formally inaugurated on Friday.
This 44-kilometre stretch marks the first-ever railway line to reach Boudh district, fulfilling a long-standing aspiration of its residents.
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The Sonepur–Purunakatak line is part of the larger 301-kilometre-long Khordha Road–Bolangir railway corridor, and the launch of this section will enable rail movement between Sonepur and Purunakatak for the first time.
Following the inauguration, two weekly express trains will begin their operations from Boudh:
The Boudh–Bhubaneswar New–Boudh Weekly Express will depart from Boudh every Monday at 7:00 AM and reach Bhubaneswar New via Bolangir, Sambalpur, Angul, and Naraj by 6:15 PM. It will return from Bhubaneswar (New) at 11:00 PM the same night and arrive in Boudh at 10:30 AM on Tuesday.
The Sambalpur–Boudh–Sambalpur Weekly Express will leave Sambalpur on Sundays at 7:25 PM and reach Boudh at 11:55 PM on the same day.
Additionally, the Bhubaneswar–Sonepur–Bhubaneswar Inter City Express and two pairs of Bolangir–Sonepur shuttle passenger trains will begin operations up to Purunakatak.
Alongside this, the Prime Minister will also lay foundation stones and inaugurate various other railway projects across the state worth more than Rs 2,750 crore, all dedicated to improving connectivity and infrastructure in Odisha.
