Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Hirakhand express

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Service type
  
Daily Train

Distance travelled
  
786 km (488 mi)

Train number(s)
  
18447 / 18448

Start
  
Jagdalpur

Stops
  
37

Current operator(s)
  
East Coast Railway

Service frequency
  
Daily

Average journey time
  
18 hours 0 minutes

End
  
Bhubaneswar

Hirakhand express imagesindianexpresscom201701hirakhandexpress

Locale
  
Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh

8 coaches of jagdalpur bhubaneswar hirakhand express train derail near rayagada


Hirakhand Express is a daily express train which runs between Jagdalpur and Bhubaneswar. It was initially introduced between Sambalpur and Balangir. Later extended to Bhubaneshwar. Now it is serving in a completely different route than the initial one. It is operated by the East Coast Railway Zone of Indian Railways.

Contents

Hirakhand express mishap 32 dead 60 injured


Etymology

Hirakhand means a piece of Diamond in Sambalpuri language spoken in Western Odisha. It is named after the medieval period kingdom of Hirakhand otherwise known as Sambalpur state spread across present Western Odisha and parts of Chhattisgarh state.

Schedule

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.

Stoppings

The train has stoppings at Koraput, Rayagada, Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Srikakulam, Ichchapuram, Brahmapur and Khordha.

Slip Route

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 Railway Station with/from the main Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express. This train halts at Depur PH, G.Ramchandrapur, Lanjigarh Road Jn., Ambodala, Muniguda, Bissam Cuttack and Therubali before/after Rayagada.

Traction

As the route is partly electrified, it is hauled end to end by a BNDM based WDM-3A diesel locomotive. Once electrification is completed, it is expected to be hauled by a WAM-4 electric locomotive.

References

Hirakhand express Wikipedia