Online booking of rail tickets at post offices in South Orissa

BERHAMPUR: Post offices would bring railways closer to people of Aska, Phulbani and Boudh in south Orissa, although no railway track passes through these areas.

The Indian Post and Indian Railways have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to start an online railway ticket booking facility at post offices at Aska in Ganjam district, Phulbani in Kandhamal district and Boudh in Boudh district. Interior areas of Ganjam district as well as Kandhamal and Boudh districts of south Orissa do not have any access to railways. Post Master General of Berhampur postal region S.K.Kamila said this facility would enable the inhabitants of these areas book railway tickets in advance for their long journeys by train. It would also provide extra revenue and increase of public utility of these post offices.

The railway ticket booking facility is expected to be started in these three post offices within next one month. It may be noted that till now the post office at Sundergarh is the only post office in the State to have online railway ticket booking facility. Mr Kamila informed about it at a customers’ meet organised by the Indian Post in the city on Wednesday night.

He also announced that Gopalpur sub-post office in Ganjam district was among the three post offices in the top rank for providing services to customers under ‘Project Arrow’.

SOURCE: THE HINDU

SOSA urges Mamata to give fair deal to south Orissa

BERHAMPUR: The South Orissa Students Association (SOSA) has demanded the Union Railway Ministry to provide budgetary provisions for better infrastructure and amenities in south Orissa.

In a letter written to Union Railway Minister Mamata Banarjee, the SOSA has alleged that the railway authorities have till date remained indifferent to problems of and demands of south Orissa. Major portions of south Orissa are still beyond the reach of railway tracks although it is one of the most underdeveloped areas of the country and railways is always considered a catalyst of development. The activists of the SOSA felt it was high time for the railways to take steps to fulfil the long-standing demands for some new railway lines and trains in south Orissa. They also said setting up of some railway manufacturing unit can be a major help for development of this backward region.

The demand for connecting the mineral rich hinterland of south and western Orissa with t Gopalpur port has been a major demand. They also want new railway lines between Talcher-Gopalpur, Gopalpur-Rayagada, Berhampur-Phulbani, Berhampur-Sambalpur, Gunupur-Therubali and Khariar-Nabarangpur- Jeypore. They also felt that there was an urgent need to introduce some new trains besides increasing the frequency of some existing services. There should be direct train link from Berhampur to major destinations in the country. The Sampark Kranti Express, Howarh-Bhubaneswar Jan shatabdi Express should be extended to Berhampur and Ranchi-Bhubaneswar Garib Rath express can be extended to Visakhapatnam for the benefit of south Orissa. These are demands which are yet to be addressed. There is also an urgent need to increase the frequency of Amritsar-Visakhapatnam Express and Puri-Ahmedabad Express. There is also demand for a new Jan Shatabdi Express between Bhubaneswar-Koraput.

Coaching terminal
The SOSA felt there was much to be done for the betterment of Berhampur Railway station. Establishment of a coaching terminal here has been long standing demand which would enable extension of long-distance trains terminating at Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam to Berhampur.
The Orissa government has also requested for a coaching terminal at Berhampur.

Source: The Hindu