He was accompanied by Balasore MP & ex-minister Pratap Sarangi.

Sources said that Vaishnaw will then participate in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra at Remuna Hanuma Kalyan Mandap.

He is scheduled to dedicate the Balasore-Gopinathpur passenger line in Balasore district and flag off Gopinathpur (Nilagiri)-Balasore new MEMU train service between 11.30 am and 2 pm. With the inauguration of the line, people of Nilagiri, the first princely state to merge with Odisha after the country’s independence, will be able to avail of passenger train services for the first time. Three pairs of MEMU trains will run on the route daily.

The railway line was opened in 1909 and a private company then used it for granite transportation from Nilagiri to Kolkata. Later, the line was left unused.

The Rail Minister will then visit Nilagiri Jagannath Temple and attend some programmes at Bada Sahi. He will then meet people over ‘Cha Khatti’ in the evening.

Vaishnaw is also scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of other railway projects at Betanoti in Mayurbhanj district. As a part of providing more passenger amenities and safety, a subway will be constructed at Betnoti station. Vaishnaw will lay foundation stone of this subway. It will ensure smooth entry and exit of passengers to the station. Local residents can commute through the subway without crossing the railway track, the ECoR said on Friday.

According to official sources, Vaishnaw will join some scheduled programmes of Railways at Dasapalla and postal programme at Kantilo during this 3-day visit to Odisha.

He will participate in some of the local programme at Khandapada on January 6 .The Railway Minister will inaugurate Nuagaon-Dasapalla Railway Section of Khurda Road-Balangir Rail Line project and Daspalla railway station building and flag off four trains extended up to Dasapalla in the forenoon.

Sources further said that 18423/18424 Bhubaneswar-Nayagarh Town-Bhubaneswar Express, 08429/08430 Bhubaneswar-Nuagaon Road-Bhubaneswar Passenger Special, 08423/08424 Puri-Nuagaon Road-Puri Passenger Special and 08555/08556 Bhadrak-Nayagarh Town-Bhadrak MEMU will be extended to Daspalla.

Later in the afternoon, Vaishnaw will join the postal programme at Kantilo.

On January 7, he will attend some local programme at Athagarh, Baramba and Narasinghpur .

In a letter to general manager, East Coast Railway (ECoR), Bhubaneswar, the Ministry stated that it has sanctioned opening of passenger halt station at Taraboi between Khurda Road and Khurda Town stations in Khurda division.

“Sanction of the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) is hereby accorded for opening of a halt station at Taraboi at KM No. 7.409 in between Khurda Road (KUR) and Khurda Town (KURT) stations in KUR Division, East Coast Railway, on passenger amenity ground,” the letter read.

The approval has been granted with the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of Ministry of Railways.