Industry Odisha Bureau, Jun 13: Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, accompanied by First Lady Jayshree Kambhampati, visited the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri on Saturday.
Upon his arrival, the Governor was received by Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), and Puri Collector Dibyajyoti Parida.
The Governor paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra and sought the blessings of the deities for the continued peace, progress and prosperity of Odisha and the well-being of its people.
Following the darshan, Dr. Kambhampati visited different parts of the temple premises. During the visit, Padhee and the Collector briefed him on various aspects of temple administration, management and the facilities being provided to devotees.
Later, the Governor visited the site of the ongoing Puri Railway Station Development Project and reviewed the progress of works being undertaken to transform the station into a modern, passenger-friendly transportation hub.
He reached the project site at around 11 am, where he was received by Parmeshwar Funkwal, General Manager, East Coast Railway, Dibyajyoti Parida, Collector and District Magistrate, Puri, Prateek Singh, Superintendent of Police, Puri, and other senior officials of the Railways and district administration. He was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour by the district police.
During the visit, the General Manager, East Coast Railway, briefed the Governor on the progress of various components of the station development project, including the front façade, main entry and exit gates, wall cladding, ceiling works, entrance auditorium and public areas.
Through a miniature model and detailed project maps, officials showcased the modern facilities being created for passengers.
The upgraded station will provide a wide range of amenities, including food courts, Jana Ahara outlets, retiring rooms, dormitories, passenger lounges, automatic ticket vending machines, dedicated parking spaces for Divyangjan, baggage scanners and barrier-free entry and exit systems.
These facilities are aimed at enhancing passenger comfort, convenience and accessibility while accommodating the growing number of pilgrims and visitors arriving in the holy city of Puri.
The Governor later inspected different sections of the project site and reviewed the pace and quality of ongoing construction works.
Subsequently, at Lok Bhavan, Puri, Dr. Hari Babu chaired a review meeting with senior officials of East Coast Railway and the district administration. He was briefed on the status of the Puri Railway Station Development Project and the progress of the proposed Puri–Konark Railway Link Project.
During the meeting, the Governor emphasized that the station development project should be completed before the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in 2027, ensuring that lakhs of devotees, pilgrims and passengers are able to benefit from the enhanced facilities and improved travel experience.
He observed that public convenience and efficient service delivery must remain the central objective of all infrastructure development initiatives.
Referring to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for modern and world-class railway infrastructure across the country, Dr. Hari Babu noted that such projects play a vital role in improving connectivity, promoting tourism and strengthening economic growth.
To ensure adherence to timelines, the Governor advised officials to undertake weekly monitoring of work progress through PERT charts and periodic reviews.
He stressed the importance of close coordination among all stakeholders, particularly between Railway authorities and State Government departments, for timely resolution of bottlenecks and smooth execution of projects.
The Governor was also apprised of the progress of major railway station development and modernisation works being undertaken across Odisha, including at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Brahmapur and other stations under the jurisdiction of East Coast Railway.
Reiterating the need for timely completion of all ongoing projects, Dr. Hari Babu called upon all concerned agencies to work in a coordinated manner and ensure that the benefits of modern railway infrastructure reach the people at the earliest, contributing to Odisha’s development and enhancing passenger services across the State.
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