Odisha: New train to connect Angul, Dhenkanal with Kolkata, says Dharmendra Pradhan

BHUBANESWAR: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday announced that the Railways will run a new train very soon connecting Angul and Dhenkanal with Kolkata. This train will start from Sambalpur and reach Howrah via Talcher, Angul and Dhenkanal.
"This new train was the demand of the people of Angul and Dhenkanal districts. The Centre has given approval for this train. It is a puja gift of prime minister Narendra Modi to people of these two districts. I also thank railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for this,” said Pradhan while meeting people of Angul and Dhenkanal districts at different railway stations on Sunday.
He boarded a special compartment of a train from Mancheswar station here to go to Dhenkanal and Angul stations. He discussed the status of ongoing railway infrastructure projects with senior railway officers on board.
He visited Talcher Road, Angul, MCL Balram Site, Talcher, Sunakhani, Budhapanka, Meramundali, Hindol Road and Sadashibapur station and met people at these stations during the journey. He also inspected a railway bridge in Banarpal locality, a rail link work near Natada village in Hingula area and development works of Dhenkanal, Shyama Charanpur and Joranda road.
He said the Centre is undertaking various railway projects worth around Rs 2500 crore in Angul, Talcher and Dhenkanal areas. He discussed these projects with the railway officers.
“Railways gives priority for transportation of coal to different industries. Doubling, third line and fourth line works are underway in these localities apart from station redevelopment of Talcher, Talcher Road, Angul and Dhenkanal stations,” he said in a twitter thread.
He also stated that construction work of a passenger line and two goods train lines between Talcher and Angul will be completed very soon. Work on a rail line project (estimated cost of around Rs 500 crore) for movement of passenger trains from Talcher to Angul via FCI and Nalco will be completed soon, he added.
The Union minister said Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) has sanctioned Rs 8 crore for the development of temple of Maa Hingula, presiding deity of Talcher. “There is a plan to make separate roads for transportation of coal and for public transport in Talcher-Gopalgarh-Kaniha road,” he added.