Kartik Purnima special trains: ECoR to operate additional services between Berhampur and Puri

To manage the heavy rush of passengers during Kartik Purnima, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has announced special train services between Berhampur (Brahmapur) and Puri. The move aims to facilitate devotees travelling to the holy town for the annual Boita Bandana celebrations and other rituals associated with the auspicious full moon day.

According to ECoR, one special train will depart from Berhampur at 8:35 pm today (November 4, 2024) and reach Puri at 1:30 am the next day. The return train will depart from Puri at 3:00 am and arrive in Berhampur at 7:15 am on November 5.

Another special service has also been scheduled to leave Puri at 5:00 am and reach Berhampur at 9:30 am on the same day, ensuring smooth return for pilgrims and visitors after early morning rituals along the Puri seashore.

The additional services come in view of the large number of devotees expected to visit Puri to take holy dips in the sea and participate in traditional Boita Bandana festivities marking Odisha’s rich maritime heritage.

Part Of Nationwide Festive Drive

This announcement follows Indian Railways’ broader initiative to handle festive traffic across the country. In October, ECoR operated 367 special trains as part of a national plan involving nearly 12,000 trains to accommodate passenger surge during Diwali and Chhath Puja.

ECoR General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal had earlier stated that 76 of these special trains had already benefited over 78,000 passengers.

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Upcoming Train Cancellations For Infrastructure Work

Meanwhile, ECoR has also announced the temporary cancellation of multiple long-distance and inter-state trains through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal between November 10 and 24, owing to yard remodelling work at Shalimar railway station under the South Eastern Railway’s Kharagpur Division.

The suspension affects several popular trains connecting Shalimar with Puri, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Secunderabad, Nagercoil, Sambalpur, and Vasco-da-Gama, among others. Key services such as the Puri–Shalimar Express (12882/12881) and Visakhapatnam–Shalimar Express (22853/22854) will remain cancelled on select dates within the two-week period.

Railway officials clarified that the temporary cancellations are necessary to facilitate infrastructure upgradation and smoother train operations at the Shalimar terminal, with normal services expected to resume after November 24.