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The Hindu
08-07-2025
- The Hindu
10 trains to short-terminate at Koraput
As many as 10 trains will short terminate or short originate at Koraput over the course of the next few days, according to an official release. They are train numbers: 18515 Visakhapatnam - Kirandul Night Express leaving from Visakhapatnam on July 10 and 18516 Kirandul - Visakhapatnam Night Express leaving from Kirandul on July 11 will start from Koraput instead of Kirandul, train no. 58501 Visakhapatnam -Kirandul Passenger leaving from Visakhapatnam on July 10 at Koraput and 58502 Kirandul - Visakhapatnam Passenger will start from Koraput on July 10, instead of Kirandul Train no. 18005 Howrah-Jagdalpur Samaleswari Express, leaving Howrah from July 8 to 10 will be short terminated at Koraput and 18006 Jagdalpur-Howrah Samaleswari Express, will leave from Koraput from July 10 to 12, instead Jagdalpur. Train no. 18107 Rourkela – Jagdalpur Intercity Express, leaving Rourkela from July 8 to 10 will be short terminated at Koraput and 18108 Jagdalpur-Rourkela Intercity Express will leave from Koraput from July 9 to 11, instead of Jagdalpur Train no. 18447 Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express, leaving from Bhubaneswar from July 8 to 10 will be short terminated at Koraput and 18448 Jagdalpur - Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express, will leave from Koraput on July 9 and 10, instead of Koraput.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Landslides, a big threat to train travel in Koraput
1 2 3 Koraput: Stretching 173 km across tribal heartlands and dense forested ridges, the Koraput-Rayagada railway line is one of India's most picturesque routes. But monsoon is a nightmare on this route. "The soil here becomes loose and unpredictable. Landslides are not just possible, they are expected," remarked a senior official at Koraput railway station. This fear became a reality on Wednesday. Continuous downpour triggered a landslide between Malliguda and Jarati stations, halting train operations and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. Several trains were either cancelled or short-terminated as safety became the top priority. Restoration efforts which were immediately started on Wednesday resumed early Thursday under the close watch of Amitabh Singhal, divisional railway manager (DRM), Rayagada. Over 300 personnel and 13 heavy-duty excavators were pressed into service to clear massive mounds of mud, boulders, and debris. "By 11 am on Thursday, we had cleared about 50% of the debris. If the weather holds, we should be able to resume services soon," said another official on site. While safety reinforcements like steel nets and sandbag barricades have been installed over the years, officials concede that the terrains unpredictability defies even the best of preparations. "Crores have been spent in past few years for slope protection. But this route is alive as it shifts, breathes, and tests us every single season," the official said. For frequent travellers like Ajit Patra from Koraput, the experience is a mix of awe and anxiety. "I travel on this route often, especially on the Hirakhand Express. During monsoon, every tunnel we pass and every bend we take feels like a silent prayer. It's breathtaking but you never stop hoping for a safe passage," he said. Koraput: Stretching 173 km across tribal heartlands and dense forested ridges, the Koraput-Rayagada railway line is one of India's most picturesque routes. But monsoon is a nightmare on this route. "The soil here becomes loose and unpredictable. Landslides are not just possible, they are expected," remarked a senior official at Koraput railway station. This fear became a reality on Wednesday. Continuous downpour triggered a landslide between Malliguda and Jarati stations, halting train operations and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. Several trains were either cancelled or short-terminated as safety became the top priority. Restoration efforts which were immediately started on Wednesday resumed early Thursday under the close watch of Amitabh Singhal, divisional railway manager (DRM), Rayagada. Over 300 personnel and 13 heavy-duty excavators were pressed into service to clear massive mounds of mud, boulders, and debris. "By 11 am on Thursday, we had cleared about 50% of the debris. If the weather holds, we should be able to resume services soon," said another official on site. While safety reinforcements like steel nets and sandbag barricades have been installed over the years, officials concede that the terrains unpredictability defies even the best of preparations. "Crores have been spent in past few years for slope protection. But this route is alive as it shifts, breathes, and tests us every single season," the official said. For frequent travellers like Ajit Patra from Koraput, the experience is a mix of awe and anxiety. "I travel on this route often, especially on the Hirakhand Express. During monsoon, every tunnel we pass and every bend we take feels like a silent prayer. It's breathtaking but you never stop hoping for a safe passage," he said.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Extend Vande Bharat to Koraput via Araku: Jeypore MLA
1 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 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 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 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 !
