Bhubaneswar, June 19 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lay the foundation stone and inaugurate several key railway projects worth over Rs.2700 crore during his visit to Odisha on Friday.

According to East Coast Railway (ECoR) sources, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the 3rd and 4th railway lines between Sarla and Sason.

This project is expected to ease traffic congestion on the busy Jharsuguda-Sambalpur section and support industrial development in the region.

He will also inaugurate the newly constructed 73 km-long railway line between Sonepur and Purunakatak, which is part of the larger 301 km Khurda Road-Balangir railway line.

With this development, the Boudh district headquarters will be connected to the railway network for the first time, finally placing it on India’s rail map and fulfilling a decades-old aspiration of local residents.

The new line between Sonepur and Purunakatak will also ensure direct rail connectivity for the region, further strengthening its social and economic integration.

Additionally, the Prime Minister will dedicate the 4th rail line between Jharsuguda and Jamga, a freight train maintenance facility at Sarla, a subway in the Bamra-Dharuadihi section, the Link C–Dumetra rail line and a Road Over Bridge at Jaleswar to the nation.

The Jharsuguda-Jamga 4th line is expected to accelerate economic growth and bolster industrial activity. The freight train maintenance facility at Sarla will enhance logistics capabilities, making freight transportation smoother and more reliable.

The doubling of the Link C–Dumetra section will improve operational efficiency, while the new road overbridge and subway will ensure uninterrupted road traffic, enhancing convenience and safety for commuters.

On this occasion, Prime Minister Modi will also launch several new rail services for the people of Odisha.

The new train services to be flagged off include, 18313/18314 Boudh–Bhubaneswar New–Boudh Weekly Express and 18311/18312 Sambalpur–Boudh–Sambalpur Weekly Express

The 18313 Boudh–Bhubaneswar Weekly Express will depart Boudh at 07:00 hrs every Monday and arrive at Bhubaneswar New at 18:15 hrs via Balangir, Sambalpur, Angul, and Naraj.

The return train, 18314, will leave Bhubaneswar New at 23:00 hrs on Mondays and reach Boudh at 10:30 hrs on Tuesdays.

Similarly, the 18311 Sambalpur–Boudh Weekly Express will depart Sambalpur at 19:25 hrs on Sundays and reach Boudh at 23:55 hrs the same night. The return train, 18312, will leave Boudh at 12:15 hrs on Tuesdays and arrive in Sambalpur at 17:30 hrs the same day.

In addition, the Bhubaneswar–Sonepur–Bhubaneswar Intercity Express and two pairs of Balangir–Sonepur Shuttle Passenger Trains will now originate from Purunakatak. UNI DP SSP