Badampahar/Rairangpur
In a landmark development, President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday flagged off three new trains from Badampahar Railway Station in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, providing the tribal-dominated region rail connectivity for the first time in about 100 years.
She also undertook an inaugural trip on one of the trains from Badampahar to Rairangpur, 13 km away from her birthplace, Uparbeda. Murmu has spent a considerable time of her life in Rairangpur.
The President also inaugurated the new Rairangpur Postal Division, released a Commemorative Special Cover of Rairangpur Postal Division and laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of Badampahar Railway station.
The three trains namely Shalimar-Badampahar and Badampahar-Rourkela weekly express and one MEMU between Badampahar and Tatanagar will connect tribal areas with bigger cities and give a huge boost to the local economy, tribal tourism, and employment besides access to healthcare, officials said.
The first ever Express Train service will connect Badampahar (Odisha), Rourkela (Jharkhand) and Shalimar (West Bengal).
According to the Railways, the Shalimar-Badampahar Weekly Express will be the first-ever express train connecting Shalimar near Kolkata in West Bengal with Badampahar in Odisha. The second weekly express train will connect the mineral-rich areas of Badampahar with Rourkela while the third, Tatanagar-Badampahar MEMU, will be important for daily commuters as it will run six days a week except on Sunday.
These trains will pass through mineral-rich and industrial areas and will improve connectivity as people from nearby areas will be able to avail of this train service for visiting bigger cities for various purposes.
All these trains pass through Murmu’s native town Rairangpur. There had not been a single mail/express train to Rairangpur station except for freight mobilisation by the national transporter.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Governor of Odisha Raghubar Das were present at the flagging-off ceremony.
“Providing connectivity to the tribal areas of the country is Modi govt’s priority. These three trains will benefit the mineral-rich areas in many ways,” Vaishnaw said adding it is for the first time in 91 years that this area has come up on the Railways map and express trains have started.
“Patients from this area can now consult doctors and avail treatment at reputable hospitals of Kolkata and Tatanagar.”
Besides providing better connectivity to boost the growth and development of the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, these new trains will also encourage tourists from West Bengal and Jharkhand to explore and enjoy the picturesque landscape and dense forest of northeastern parts of Odisha.
“Badampahar Station in Chakradharpur Division has been earmarked for redevelopment under Amrit Station Scheme at an estimated cost of ₹12.22 crore,” according to a statement by Railways.
“The redevelopment of Badampahar Railway Station will enhance rail-transport infrastructure and boost tourism for the state of Odisha,” it stated.
- Making a departure from convention, Murmu became the first President of India who did not take the Special President Suite Train and travelled in a normal passenger train.
- Historically, a rail line was built by the Tatas in 1922 for transportation of iron ore from Badampahar ore area to steel production unit at Jamshedpur. The same tracks have now been upgraded for use of passenger services.
