PM Modi to flag off third Vande Bharat linking Visakhapatnam to Bhubaneswar in Odisha on March 12

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay foundation stone and dedicate various railway projects worth over Rs 85,000 crore including projects in Odisha on Tuesday, an official said.

This was stated by East Coast Railway Additional General Manager Mohesh Kumar Behera at a press conference here on Monday.

Behera said the prime minister will hold these functions at 764 locations across India. "During the occasion, the prime minister will dedicate and lay the foundation stone for 274 railway projects in Odisha," he said.

These projects include 162 Electronic Interlocking systems, 41 One Station One Product (OSOP) stalls, 50 Solar power stations, five goods sheds, nine new line, doubling and third line projects, four auto signalling systems, one GatiSakti terminal, one Jan Ausadhi Kendra and one rail coach restaurant, Behera said.

The prime minister will also flag off the third Vande Bharat Express for the people of Odisha. The third Vande Bharat Express will run between Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar. This train will run six days a week except Saturdays, he said.

Prime Minister will also dedicate nine new line, doubling and third line projects.

The projects are Rs 234 crore Haridaspur-Byree(16.8 km) of Bhadrak-Nergundi 3rd Line section, Rs 131 crore Damanjodi-Baiguda (14.6 km) of Korapur-Raigada doubling section, Rs 167 crore Singapur Road-Rayagada (9.2 km) of Vijianagam-Titlagarh 3rd Line, Rs 123 crore Similiguda-Araku-Gorapur (21.6 km) of Kotavlasa-Koraput doubling section.

The PM will also dedicate Rs 47 crore Kota-Boddavara (7.3 km) section of Kotavalasa-Koraput doubling, Rs 550 crore Jharsuguda-Jamaga (53 km) of Bilaspur-Jharsuguda 4th line section, Rs 61.73 crore Link B-Link C Bondamunda of (Bondamunda-Ranchi doubling section.

It also includes the Rs 129.95 crore Nawagaon-Orga (6.8 km) of Ranchi-Bondamunda doubling section and Rs 36.12 crore Ranital-Ranital (L) 4th line (3 km) of Narayangarh-Bhadrak 4th line section.

The official said the 'One Station One Product” (OSOP) scheme aims to promote the 'Vocal for Local' vision of the central government, provide a market for local/indigenous products and create additional income opportunities for the marginalised sections of the society.

"This scheme aims to provide enhanced opportunities for livelihood to local artisans, weavers /handloom weavers, craftsmen, etc, through provision of sale outlets at railway stations across the country," he said.