Bhubaneswar: Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Tuesday informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sanctioned Rs 492 crore for the construction of the 32 km long Puri-Konark railway line. He said work will begin for the project soon following acquisition of 217 hectares of the required land.
Vaishnaw said that the new railway line will connect the world-famous Sun Temple at Konark with the Sri Jagannath temple in Puri and it will have vistadome coaches for the passengers to experience the scenic beauty of the marine drive. He said that the Railways Ministry will seek the cooperation of the Odisha government for the execution of the project. “We are thinking of providing the passengers the experience of witnessing Sri Jagannath culture while travelling in the train,” he added. The Railways Ministry, he said, will hold discussions with the sevayats (servitors) and temple administration officials in this regard.
The minister also said that at four to five places between Puri and Konark, special tourist hubs will be created for the travelling passengers to understand and engage with the heritage and culture of the area. Speaking about railways infrastructure in the state, Vaishnaw said that in the last ten years as many as 409 railway bridges and underpaths have been constructed in Odisha at an estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crore.
On the occasion, Vaishnaw also released five commemorative postage stamps on legendary poets of the sate and cultural heritage of western Odisha, while also inaugurating 42 branch post offices in 7 western Odisha districts.