New train depots for Bhubaneswar, Puri as Indian Railways plans to double capacity by 2030

The Indian Railways has drawn up an extensive infrastructure upgradation roadmap to double the train originating capacity at Bhubaneswar and Puri railway stations by 2030, in view of sustained growth in passenger demand across the East Coast Railway (ECoR) network.

The plan forms part of a nationwide capacity augmentation drive covering 48 major cities identified for long-term expansion.

Over the next five years, infrastructure at these two cities, along with Visakhapatnam, will be systematically strengthened through a combination of terminal expansion, development of satellite stations, modern maintenance facilities and enhanced sectional capacity.

Puri: Focus On Maintenance And Future Traffic

According to The New Indian Express, at Puri, two additional full-length integrated pit lines are under construction, which will supplement the existing six pit lines at the station.

To cater to long-term growth, particularly during peak pilgrimage and tourist seasons, the entire coaching maintenance facility is proposed to be shifted to a second coaching terminal depot on the sanctioned Puri–Konark new line.

The TNIE reports added that a final location survey has been proposed for this new facility, along with plans for a large-scale coaching complex to handle future traffic requirements.

Bhubaneswar: Satellite Terminal And New Depots

In Bhubaneswar, the new railway station is being developed as a satellite coaching terminal to reduce pressure on the existing station and yard. The facility will be supported by a maintenance unit comprising two pit lines at Mancheswar, with dedicated rail connectivity.

Given space constraints within the city, additional depots and supporting infrastructure are being planned in nearby areas. Ongoing projects include pit line electrification, safety fencing, surveys for fourth lines and bypass alignments, and other traffic facility upgrades to enhance operational flexibility.

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Network-Wide Planning

Further, as per reports by NDTV, a total of 48 cities have been listed by the Indian Railways for capacity expansion.

These include Delhi, Mumbai (Central & Western Railway), Kolkata (Eastern, South Eastern & Metro), Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Patna, Puri, Lucknow, Pune, Nagpur, Varanasi, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Mathura, Ayodhya, Agra, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain, Jammu, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Vadodara, Surat, Madgaon, Kochi, Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Haridwar, Guwahati, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Gaya, Mysuru, Coimbatore, Tatanagar, Ranchi, Raipur, Bareilly.

The phased rollout of projects is expected to begin delivering incremental benefits over the next few years, with full capacity doubling targeted by 2030.