Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, along with his wife Jayshree Kambhampati, visited the iconic Jagannath Temple in Puri on Saturday, an official statement said.
The couple offered prayers before Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, praying to the sibling deities for the enduring peace, advancement, and prosperity of Odisha and its citizens.
Following his temple visit, the Governor went to the site of the Puri railway station redevelopment project to evaluate the ongoing work to transform the station into a modern, passenger-friendly transportation hub, it said.
Using a miniature replica and comprehensive blueprint maps, railway authorities presented the cutting-edge facilities currently being integrated for commuters.
The statement said that the upgraded station will feature a wid range of premium comforts, such as food courts, Jan Ahaar outlets, retiring rooms, dormitories, passenger lounges, automatic ticket dispensers, dedicated parking for specially-abled people, luggage scanners, and accessible, barrier-free entry and exit points.
The Governor then walked through various zones of the construction site, assessing both the speed and quality of ongoing construction work.
In a post shared from his social media, the Governor said, “As one of the country’s foremost pilgrimage gateways, Puri deserves world-class railway infrastructure. The ongoing modernisation will greatly improve comfort, accessibility, and the overall travel experience for devotees and visitors.”
Subsequently, he presided over a progress evaluation meeting at the Puri Lok Bhavan, which was attended by senior officials from the East Coast Railway (ECoR) and the district administration.
He was briefed on the status of the Puri railway station development project and the progress of the proposed Puri-Konark railway link project.
In the meeting, the Governor firmly stressed that the station’s upgrade must be completed prior to the 2027 Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, allowing lakhs of visiting devotees, pilgrims, and everyday travellers to utilize the premium facilities and enjoy an elevated travel experience, it said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for modern and world-class railway infrastructure across the country, he pointed out that these initiatives are crucial for boosting connectivity, driving regional tourism, and fuelling economic expansion.
To ensure adherence to timelines, the governor advised officials to undertake weekly monitoring of work progress and periodic reviews.
He was also apprised of the progress of major railway station development and modernisation works being undertaken across Odisha, including at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and other stations under the jurisdiction of East Coast Railway.
Reiterating the need for timely completion of all ongoing projects, he called upon all agencies concerned to work in a coordinated manner and ensure that the benefits of modern railway infrastructure reach the people at the earliest, contributing to Odisha’s development and enhancing passenger services across the state, the statement added.
