Extend Vande Bharat to Koraput via Araku: Jeypore MLA
2
Koraput: In a renewed push for improved rail connectivity in the tribal-dominated Koraput district,
Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati
has appealed to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to extend the
Vande Bharat Express
— currently running between Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam — to Koraput via Araku.In two separate memoranda recently submitted to Majhi and Vaishnaw, the senior Congress legislator proposed extending the train's route by an additional 215 km to reach Koraput.
The route, passing through the scenic Araku Valley, would span a total of 669 km, well within the operational threshold of Vande Bharat trains, which typically cover up to 800 km.Presently, the Vande Bharat covers 444 km between Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam in about five hours. With the proposed extension, the full journey could be completed in around nine hours, Bahinipati said.Citing the lack of high-speed connectivity in Koraput region, Bahinipati emphasised that only one train, the Hirakhand Express, currently connects Koraput with Bhubaneswar. "This extension would not only reduce the heavy passenger load on the Hirakhand Express but also boost the socio-economic development of backward blocks such as Nandapur and Lamtaput, and bordering districts like Nabarangpur and Malkangiri," said Bahinipati.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Mother's Day wishes
,
messages
, and
quotes
!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
a few seconds ago
- New Indian Express
Agencies should adopt security-first approach, ensure habitual alertness: Union Minister Amit Shah
NEW DELHI: Asserting the government has the political will to have 'zero tolerance against terrorism', which was reaffirmed remarkably through 'Operation Sindoor'. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asked the agencies to follow a security-first approach, ensure habitual alertness, and coordination an integral part of their working methodology. Speaking at the two-day 'National Security Strategy Conference – 2025' organised by the Intelligence Bureau, the Home Minister said, 'India is one of the fastest emerging economies, and with that, the challenges before the country are also increasing. We must stay more vigilant and tackle problems with heightened awareness.' Highlighting the importance of the Conference, Shah said, the deliberations at the event enable senior officers to guide young officers and familiarise them with challenges by showing them the path in finding solutions. 'Police forces of all states and central investigative agencies should move forward with the goal of becoming the best in the world,' he exhorted, while adding that to address the challenges coming before the nation, a reliable ecosystem for real-time data sharing must be established.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a few seconds ago
- Business Standard
Internal security challenges to remain dynamic due to neighbourhood: Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the country's internal security challenges would remain dynamic in view of India's geo-political neighbourhood. Delivering the concluding address at the eighth National Security Strategies Conference (NSSC) here, Shah also said that demonstrating strong political will, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again not only reaffirmed the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism, but also presented it before the world in a remarkable manner through Operation Sindoor. "Observing that the internal security challenges would remain dynamic in view of India's geo-political neighbourhood, Shah exhorted the state police forces and Central security agencies to adopt the motto of 'Suraksha, Sajagta and Samanvay' (security, alertness and coordination)," an official statement said. Stating that the Modi government has resolved numerous issues scattered across various states, Shah said, "India is one of the fastest emerging economies, and with that, the challenges before the country are also increasing. We must stay more vigilant and tackle problems with heightened awareness." He also called the NSSC significant in enabling senior officers to guide young officers, familiarise them with challenges, and show them the path to finding solutions. The home minister said the forces of all states and Central investigating agencies should move forward with the goal of becoming the best in the world. To address the challenges facing the nation, a reliable ecosystem for real-time data sharing must be established, he said. Shah also said that all agencies must make security-first approach, habitual alertness, and coordination an integral part of their working methodology. He mentioned that the prime minister's strong resolve and the support of fellow citizens sent a strong message of zero tolerance towards terrorism across the world. Pointing out that India's economy has risen to the fourth position globally, the home minister said India is now a world leader in new and emerging technologies, startups, green energy and innovations. He also emphasised that India's rising stature would lead to increasing national security challenges in the years to come. Stressing that these challenges needed to be tackled through better coordination, Shah called for the formation of homogenous teams of Central and state agencies to develop strategies, and implement and monitor them. He also instructed the involvement of young police officers in each state to brainstorm on national challenges and devise solutions to address them. Shah urged to inculcate the use of national databases like NATGRID, NIDAAN, iMoT and CBI's fugitive database among young officers by including them in all training programmes. The home minister emphasised that the next 5-10 years would be very important for the development and security of the country. While appreciating the achievements in Left Wing Extremism (LWE), northeast and Jammu and Kashmir theatres, he asked the DGsP to adopt a similar approach for effective implementation of the three new criminal laws and tackling the challenge of narcotics. He also advocated the need for a top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top approach in initiating action against the big drug cartels, besides focusing on extradition of narco-offenders. The DGsP were directed to make it the prime agenda of the police for the next three years in the path towards 'Nasha Mukt Bharat', the statement said. Pointing out that the police station is the focal point of intelligence collection, he called upon the police leadership to evolve a credible platform for sharing real-time information up to the police station level. Emphasising the primary duty of the police to protect the life, property and dignity of citizens, the home minister directed each state police force and Central agency to strive towards excellence, and nurture a spirit of healthy competition to address the internal security challenges. Stressing upon the need for all-round development in the LWE affected areas, Shah urged the DGsP to coordinate with state administrations to ensure the implementation of more than 300 Central and state development schemes at the grassroots level. Underscoring the importance of securing smaller seaports along the country's maritime borders, Shah emphasised capacity building of state police to counter infiltration and smuggling activities. He also reviewed the counter-terror initiatives and directed to take stringent legal action against the repeat offenders. Earlier he paid homage to the martyrs on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas and saluted the efforts of the armed forces and BSF during Operation Sindoor.
India Today
a few seconds ago
- India Today
UK deal gold standard for trade negotiations with other partners: Piyush Goyal
Commenting on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the deal could become a "gold standard" in trade agreements, ensuring protection for India's sensitive and labour-intensive the global significance of the agreement, Goyal asserted that the FTA reflects India's growing relevance on the world stage. He stressed that the government has ensured "zero compromise, extensive benefit" for Indian businesses while safeguarding all sensitive Minister clarified that the government has not opened key labour-intensive industries such as dairy, rice, and sugar to British companies. "The Modi government has signed FTAs with developed nations that don't pose a competitive threat to India," Goyal also announced that six UK universities will soon open campuses in India, marking a new phase in bilateral educational the FTA comprehensive, Goyal noted, "The agreement has 30 chapters—I don't recall any other FTA with so many."Taking a dig at the previous UPA regime, Goyal said, "The UPA signed most FTAs with ASEAN countries, who did not open their markets to the same extent as India did."The Indian cabinet has already approved the FTA, which is expected to take the British Parliament a few months to a year to clear. The India-UK agreement, signed on Thursday, is set to boost bilateral trade by USD 34 billion annually, making it the largest trade pact the UK has entered into since exiting the European Union in Indian cabinet has already approved the Free Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom and could take the British Parliament a few months or up to a year to clear this free trade agreement. - EndsTune InMust Watch
