Watch Video: Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Travels from Bhubaneswar to Baleshwar, ‘X’ users React

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday embarked on a train journey from Bhubaneswar to Baleshwar, Odisha, where he interacted with passengers throughout the trip. 

Travelled in train from Bhubaneswar to Baleshwar! pic.twitter.com/AzcycQgGAi

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (मोदी का परिवार) (@AshwiniVaishnaw) May 21, 2024

Sharing his experience on social media platform X, the minister posted a short video captioned, “Travelled in train from Bhubaneswar to Baleshwar!” 

The video shows Vaishnaw presenting his ticket to the TTE and engaging in conversations with fellow passengers. The post has received around 4.3K likes and numerous comments.

One user commented, “Dear Sir… I kindly request that you travel to Bihar and West Bengal to personally observe the current conditions of long-distance trains. This firsthand experience will provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing our railway system.” 

Another suggested, “Vaishnav Ji, Please visit 2nd sleeper class also…”

Redevelopment of Railway Stations in Odisha

Discussing the redevelopment of railway stations in Odisha, Vaishnaw revealed that five stations in the Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency will be transformed into world-class facilities. These stations include Bimlagarh, Rajgangpur, Panposh, Rourkela, and Hemgir. The announcement was made while he was campaigning for the BJP candidate in the Bonai assembly segment.

When questioned about the status of the Talcher-Bimlagarh railway link, the minister assured that it would be completed soon. He highlighted that ₹550 crore has been allocated in this year’s budget for the new railway line. Vaishnaw pointed out that the state government has been slow in providing the required land for the project, but noted that over 28 km of the new railway line on the Talcher-Bimlagarh route has already been completed. “The railway tracks have come up to Samal from Talcher and this year the link up to Khamar will be completed… From the Bimlagarh side, the work needs to be expedited but it depends on the availability of land… We are working on it,” he added.

Vaishnaw lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to Odisha’s development, stating, “Odisha has got a special place in the PM’s heart. Modi ji is always serious about Odisha’s development and how the dreams of the Odias are fulfilled.”

Joyville