Tag Archives: Konark

Vistadome train to connect Konark with Puri: Vaishnaw

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that the Sun temple of Konark will soon be connected with the pilgrim town of Puri by the railway network.

Vaishnaw told reporters at Rail Sadan that there has been a long-standing demand to connect the Sun Temple of Konark with the Jagannath Temple in Puri by train. “The project has been sanctioned by the Prime Minister with a view to creating a spiritual, heritage and coastal corridor. The project will come up with a cost of Rs 492 crore. The work will start after land acquisition, We are hopeful that the state government will arrange the land for the project,” said Vaishnaw.

By announcing this new project, Vaishnaw has sent out a message that he will continue to work for the larger interest of the state. The BJD while supporting his candidature had said that it expected Vaishnaw, the Minister for Railways, Communication and Information and Technology to work for Odisha’s development in the field of railways and telecom development.

Vaishnaw said the railway line connecting Puri and Konark will cover a distance of 32km. “Vistadome train (an all-weather glass-ceiling train) services will be launched between Puri and Konark. The train will give travellers a different kind of experience. We will integrate spiritual tourism with heritage tourism. Between Puri and Konark, we will develop four to five places as heritage hubs. We will try to showcase the rich Jagannath culture and Odia culture before the rest of the world. Inside the train, we will run AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) shows. We will talk to all sections of people, including the sevayats of Puri in this connection,” said Vaishnaw.

For this project, the railways require 215 hectares of land. Sources said the cost of the project is estimated to be INR 725.78 crore. The rail line will pass by the Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary.

The minister claimed that the Centre had taken special steps for the development of railways in Odisha. He also informed that 5,333 telecom towers are coming up in the state at INR 5,600 crore. The work is going on in full swing.

 

 

Odisha to organise Eco Retreat at 7 locations starting December 1

Odisha Tourism is set to organise its annual camping event Eco Retreat at seven locations offering 220 tents from December 1, 2023. From September 15, tourists will be allowed to book their stays at these seven locations– Konark, Putsil, Sonapur, Daringbadi, Bhitarkanika, Satkosia, and Hirakud.

Lenin Mohanty, Chairman, Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC), said Eco Retreat has now become the face of Odisha. It has played a pivotal role in promoting sustainable tourism in the state, he said.

Mohanty went on to highlight the broader contributions of the OTDC, emphasiing that the corporation has not only boosted tourism, but also made significant contributions to the state’s economy. By creating employment opportunities and bolstering local businesses, the OTDC has generated a profit of INR 5 crore in the last fiscal year. Furthermore, it has been instrumental in preserving the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty that make Odisha such a unique destination, he added.

Bandhan Bank, Odisha partner for PoS payment solutions for tourists

Bandhan Bank and Odisha Tourism Development Corporation has partnered for the former to provide Point of Sale (PoS) machines to facilitate card payments by tourists. Prime locations, including Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Konark, Chilka and Gopalpur, will be covered under this tie-up.

The PoS machines will ease tourist payment collections. The machine will help tourists pay through debit or credit cards. The bank is also planning to launch UPI services soon.

Commenting on this, Shantanu Sengupta, Head – Retail Banking, Bandhan Bank, said, “Odisha has been an important market for Bandhan Bank over the years. We’re happy to partner with the Odisha Government in bringing convenient payment solutions to the tourists of the state. At Bandhan Bank, we are committed to being a bank for all, and this endeavour is another step in that direction.”