Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday in a letter to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal demanded a new Rajdhani Express instead of diversion of the existing one via Sambalpur.
Patnaik expressed disappointment over the East Coast Railway’s (ECoR) plan to divert the existing Rajdhani Express and run it via Sambalpur from February 2018.
“It is disappointing that instead of a new Rajdhani Express, the ECoR has planned to divert an existing train and run the same via Sambalpur.
Hence, such decision needs to be reviewed and a new Rajdhani Express may be given to Odisha, thereby restoring the frequency of the diverted train,” Patnaik said in the letter.
Besides, the routes and stoppages notified by ECoR have also triggered sharp reactions among the residents of Sambalpur and other parts of the State, stated the Chief Minister.
The existing Rajdhani Express to New Delhi goes to Bhadrak and Baleswar while the Rajdhani via Sambalpur will not be stopping at the District Headquarter stations and cities of Angul and Dhenkanal, Patnaik stated.