Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express: The Vande Bharat Express is all set to start its operations on the Puri-Howrah route in West Bengal, which will be virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today i.e. May 18 at around 1 pm.
According to an official from the South Eastern Railway, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will attend the inauguration program at Puri station, from where the train will commence its inaugural run.
This marks the second Vande Bharat Express service for West Bengal, following the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express. Additionally, it holds immense significance for Odisha as it marks the state's very first Vande Bharat train.
The train is expected to cover the 500 km distance between Howrah and Puri in approximately six and a half hours.
Puri, situated in Bengal, holds significance as the abode of Lord Jagannath and is a popular pilgrimage destination, particularly for tourists from Kolkata and its surrounding areas.
The official added that regular operations of the 22895/22896 Howrah-Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express will commence from May 20 i.e. Saturday.
According to the official, the Vande Bharat Express will operate six days a week, excluding Thursdays. The train's departure from Howrah is scheduled for 6:10 am, arriving at Puri by 12:35 pm.
On the return journey, it will depart from Puri at 1:50 pm and reach Howrah by 8:30 pm. With a total of 16 coaches, the train will make stops at Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur Keonjhar Road, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Khurda Road.
