Overview | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Service type | Daily Train | ||||
Locale | Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh | ||||
Current operator(s) | East Coast Railway | ||||
Route | |||||
Termini | Jagdalpur Bhubaneswar | ||||
Stops | 37 | ||||
Distance travelled | 786 km (488 mi) | ||||
Average journey time | 17 hours 55 minutes | ||||
Service frequency | Daily | ||||
Train number(s) | 18447 / 18448 | ||||
On-board services | |||||
Class(es) | AC2 tier, AC3 tier, sleeper class and General sitting | ||||
Seating arrangements | Yes | ||||
Sleeping arrangements | Yes | ||||
Catering facilities | No, Self-service, E-catering available | ||||
Entertainment facilities | Nil | ||||
Baggage facilities | Under the Seats | ||||
Technical | |||||
Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) (Broad Gauge) | ||||
Operating speed | Avg.43 km/h (27 mph) with halts Maximum 89 km/h (55 mph) | ||||
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Hirakhand Express is a daily express train which runs between Jagdalpur and Bhubaneswar. It was initially introduced between Sambalpur and Balangir. This train has seen several extension on both the ends and now running in a completely different route than its initial station of origin. First it was extended to run between Rourkela and Titlagarh, then between Rourkela and Rayagada, then between Rourkela and Bhubaneswar via Vijayanagaram but after completion of the Koraput-Rayagada link line connecting Jharsuguda-Vizianagaram line with Kothavalasa-Kirandul line, it was diverted to run between Koraput to Bhubaneswar. In 2010, it was further extended until Jagdalpur. [1] It is operated by the East Coast Railway Zone of Indian Railways.
Hirakhand means a piece of diamond in Sambalpuri language spoken in Western Orissa. It is named after the medieval period kingdom of Hirakhand otherwise known as Sambalpur State spread across present Western Orissa and parts of Chhattisgarh state.
The 18447 Hirakhand Express leaves Bhubaneswar every day at 1935 hrs IST and reaches Jagdalpur at 1330 hrs IST the next day. The 18448 Hirakhand Express leaves Jagdalpur every day at 1430 hrs IST and reaches Bhubaneswar at 0825 hrs IST on next day.
The major stoppages are Jeypore, Koraput Junction, Rayagada, Parvathipuram railway station, Bobbili Junction Vizianagaram Junction, Srikakulam Road, Palasa, Brahmapur and Khurda Road Junction.
On 11 August 2012, a "slip route" of Hirakhand Express was Inaugurated as "Junagarh Road-Bhubaneswar Link Express" (Train Number-18437/18438). The source of this train is Junagarh Road near Bhawanipatna. It leaves Bhawanipatna at 1855 hrs IST daily and arrives at 0825 hrs IST daily. The train amalgamates/bifurcates at Rayagada with/from the main Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express. This train halts at Depur PH, G.Ramchandrapur, Lanjigarh Road Junction, Ambodala, Muniguda, Bissam Cuttack and Therubali before/after Rayagada. [2]
As the route is electrified, it is hauled by a VSKP-based WAP-7 electric locomotive from Bhubaneswar to Jagdalpur and vice versa with LHB Coaches. Earlier It had a slip separated at Rayagada railway station and using a VSKP based WDG 3A to Junagarh Road and Bhawanipatna from Rayagada but now it's a complete single running train.
The East Coast Railway is one of the 19 railway zones of Indian Railways. It came into existence on 1 April 2003. The headquarters of the zone are at Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Kalahandi district is a district of Odisha in India.
Tikiri is a village in Rayagada district of Orissa state in India. Tikiri is a small Industrial town located in Rayagada District in the State of Odisha. It is 50 kilometers away from Rayagada District Headquarter and 80 kilometers away from Koraput District Head quarter. It is 20 kilometers away from Rupkona Junction. It is approachable by NH 326A till Rupkona and subsequently diverting another 20 kilometers in Rupkona –Kashipur State Highway. Being situated at high sea-level, it almost brings pleasant climate throughout the year and the summer days are not that much hot like other parts of Odisha. Utkal Alumina International Limited – a flagship of Hindalco group is situated at Tikiri. Utkal Alumina is an Alumina Refinery of capacity 2 MTPA with its bauxite mine at Rayagada/Kalahandi District. Tikiri is basically a Panchyat, having its Panhayat Samiti at Kashipur (20 kilometers away from Tikiri towards Kalahandi District. It has population of five thousands including local and employees working in Refinery plant.
The Jharsuguda–Vizianagaram line is a railway line in eastern India. It connects Jharsuguda,516 km (321 mi) from Howrah on the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line, and Titlagarh, which in turn is connected with Vizianagaram, 820 km (510 mi) from Howrah on the Howrah–Chennai main line, and Raipur Junction, 830 km (516 mi) from Howrah on the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line. There are several branch lines, like the 176 km (109 mi) line connecting Rayagada with Koraput on the Kothavalasa–Kirandul line. The line traverses Western Odisha and connects the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line with the Howrah–Chennai main line. It covers small portions of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
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Visakhapatnam–Koraput Intercity Express runs between Visakhapatnam City in Andhra Pradesh and Koraput in Odisha. The train runs through Vizianagaram, Rayagada and Damanjodi. It is numbered 18511/18512 by Indian Railways. The train is maintained by East Coast Railway Zone. The train is hauled by a WDM-3A locomotive of the Visakhapatnam shed.
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Bhubaneswar–Junagarh Express is an Express train belonging to Indian Railways that runs between Bhubaneswar and Junagarh as a daily service. Although both termini are in the state of Odisha, it has an intermediate stop at Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh. It is maintained by East Coast Railway zone. It operates as train number 18437 from Bhubaneswar to Junagarh and as train number 18438 in the reverse direction.
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Odisha State Open University (OSOU) is a distance learning state university located in Sambalpur, Odisha, India. The university is established by an Act of the Odisha State Legislature in 2015. The university has jurisdiction over the entire State of Odisha.
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