East Coast Railway Adds Extra Coaches Ahead of Winter Travel Surge
The East Coast Railway (ECoR) is set to temporarily augment coaches on several trains in anticipation of increased passenger traffic during the upcoming long weekend and winter travel season. Trains benefiting from the temporary coach addition include the Bhubaneswar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express, Puri–Howrah Shatabdi, and Hirakhand Express.
Specifically, an additional AC 2-tier coach will be attached to the Bhubaneswar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express (22823) on January 23, with the return service (22824) receiving the extra coach on January 24.
Meanwhile, rail services on the Khordha Road–Bolangir line are expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026. ECoR General Manager Parameshwar Funkwal, during a safety and infrastructure review, confirmed that construction progress and passenger safety measures are on track to ensure smooth operations once the line is commissioned.
“The inspection aimed to evaluate passenger safety and station readiness between Khurda Road and Daspalla, with the goal of operationalizing the Khurda Road–Bolangir line by 2026,” Funkwal stated.
