Station in President Murmu’s home district gets first express train in 91 years as she flags off 3 trains

“Development of any area depends on the connectivity of that area. Be it rail, roads or postal services—all these services make people’s lives easier. The three trains launched today will help locals in travelling to neighbouring states like Jharkhand and West Bengal. People will also not face any inconvenience in visiting Odisha’s industrial town Rourkela,” Murmu said on the occasion.

The President also laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of the station under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme. Redevelopment will enhance rail-transport infrastructure and boost tourism in the region, officials said.

Murmu, who has spent a major part of her life in Rairangpur, had started her political career from the small town when she was elected as a councillor and became vice-chairperson of the Rairangpur civic body. Later, she was elected to the Assembly from the Rairangpur constituency twice between 2000 and 2009.

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw—who was present along with his cabinet colleagues Dharmendra Pradhan and Bishweswar Tudu and others— said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had always emphasised Odisha’s development. “Earlier, Odisha used to get only Rs 800 crore but now it’s getting Rs 10,000 crore for the development of railway infrastructure. As many as 57 stations in Odisha are being developed as world-class stations,” he said.

Murmu also virtually inaugurated a new postal division at Rairangpur and released a commemorative special cover of the division.

Stating that inclusive development is incomplete without the development of tribal people, Murmu said the government was giving priority to the development of tribal communities. She urged the tribal youth to take advantage of government schemes and stressed that one’s effort was also necessary for self-development.