PM Narendra Modi to dedicate, lay foundation stones of railway projects worth Rs 8,000 crore in Odisha on Thursday

BHUBANESWAR: Prime minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone and dedicate several railway projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore in the state on Thursday via videoconferencing. It includes flagging off of Vande Bharat Express train from Puri to Howrah.
This semi-high-speed train will provide faster, comfortable and convenient travel experience to the passengers apart from boosting tourism and promoting economic development in the region.
Modi will lay the foundation stone for railway station redevelopment projects at Puri and Cuttack. These stations will have all modern amenities after completion of the construction work. He will dedicate 100 percent electrification of the rail network in Odisha.
The PM will also dedicate the doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line, a new broad gauge rail line between Angul-Sukinda, the third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga and new broad-gauge line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha.
“These projects will cater to the increased traffic demands due to rapid industrial development in steel, power and mining sectors in Odisha. It will also help ease the pressure on passenger traffic in these rail sections,” said the official sources.