Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express Explained

Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express
Type:	Tejas-Rajdhani Express
Locale:	Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh & Delhi
Operator:	East Coast Railway
Start:	(BBS)
Stops:	14 (20817/20818) 13 (22811/22812) 13 (22823/22824)
End:	(NDLS)
Distance:	20817/20818 - 1914km (1,189miles) 22811/22812 - 1730km (1,080miles) 22823/22824 - 1801km (1,119miles)
Journeytime:	20817 (26 Hours 40 Mins) 20818 (27 Hours 10 Mins) 22811 (23 Hours 20 Mins) 22812 (23 Hours 15 Mins) 22823 (24 Hours 25 Mins) 22824 (24 Hours 30 Mins)
Class:	1AC, 2AC, 3AC
Seating:	No
Sleeping:	Yes
Observation:	Large windows
Catering:	Available
Stock:	Tejas Rakes
Trainnumber:	20817/20818 (1 day in a week) 22811/22812 (2 days in a week) 22823/22824 (4 days in a week)
Speed:	Average Speed (incl. stops) 20817/20818 (71 km/h) 22811/22812 (74 km/h) 22823/22824 (74 km/h)

The Bhubaneswar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express is a Tejas-Rajdhani Express train starting from Bhubaneswar, the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha to the final destination of New Delhi, the capital of India. Currently, there are three dedicated sets of rakes operating from Bhubaneswar to New Delhi. This is the 3rd Rajdhani train which is having 3 dedicated routes after Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express and Ranchi Rajdhani Express.

History

• 1st set of Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express was introduced on 1994–95 Rail Budget by C. K. Jaffer Sharief (Former Minister of Railways) as a weekly frequency train.^[1] Later the service was increased to bi-weekly after public demand in 1998. It used to get WAP-4 locomotive from Ghaziabad shed (NDLS–HWH) & Santragachi shed (HWH–BBS) ^[2] and also changed its route to Adra Instead of bypassing Howrah in 2002.^[3]
• 2nd set of Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express was introduced on 2003 by Nitish Kumar (Former Minister of Railways) as a bi-weekly frequency train.^[4] Later in 2004 the frequency of this train are increased to 4 days in a week.^[5]
• Later, 3rd set of Bhubansewar Rajdhani Express was inaugurated on 10 February 2018, was flagged off by Piyush Goyal (Minister of Railways) as a weekly frequency train which bypasses through Sambalpur.^[6]

Overview

This train is fully air conditioned and has an AC Hot Buffet car to provide both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals during the journey. The meals are pre-paid along with the ticket, similar to the other Rajdhani Express trains. The train offers three classes of accommodation i.e. AC First Class (1A) with 2-berth and 4-berth couples (with locking facility for privacy), AC Two Tier (2A) with open bays (4 berths/bay + 2 berths on the other side of the aisle of each bay), provided with curtains for privacy, and AC Three Tier (3A) with open bays (6 berths/bay + 2 berths on the other side of the aisle of each bay) without curtains.

Bhubaneswar Rajdhani's coaches was painted in Pattachitra and NALCO branding in December 2019.^[7] However, it was upgraded to Tejas rake on 14 August 2023, making it the latest and 5th Tejas Rajdhani Express of India.^[8]

Traction

The three sets of Bhubaneswar Tejas Rajdhani Express are hauled by Ghaziabad Loco Shed-based WAP-7 electric locomotive on its entire journey.

Coach composition

Train Number	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
20817 / 22811 / 22823	LOCO	EOG	B1	B2	B3	B4	B5	B6	B7	B8	B9	B10	B11	PC	H1	A1	A2	EOG
20818 / 22812 / 22824	LOCO	EOG	A2	A1	H1	PC	B11	B10	B9	B8	B7	B6	B5	B4	B3	B2	B1	EOG

Routes

Route 1 - via Sambalpur City						Route 2 - via Adra						Route 3 - via Tatanagar
Train No. 20817		Stations	Train No. 20818			Train No. 22811		Stations	Train No. 22812			Train No. 22823		Stations	Train No. 22824
Arrival	Departure		Arrival	Departure		Arrival	Departure		Arrival	Departure		Arrival	Departure		Arrival	Departure
---	07:15	Bhubaneswar	20:10	---		---	10:35	Bhubaneswar	16:15	---		---	09:30	Bhubaneswar	17:30	---
07:40	07:42	Cuttack	19:08	19:10		11:01	11:03	Cuttack	15:17	15:19		09:54	09:56	Cuttack	16:41	16:43
08:32	08:34	Dhenkanal	17:45	17:47		11:52	11:54	Jajpur Keonjhar Road	14:21	14:23		11:35	11:37	Bhadrak	15:13	15:15
09:25	09:27	Angul	16:45	16:47								12:20	12:22	Balasore	14:16	14:18
11:23	11:25	Sambalpur City	14:55	14:57		12:45	12:47	Bhadrak	13:48	13:50		13:45	13:55	Hijli	12:45	12:55
12:38	12:40	Jharsuguda	14:08	14:10		13:30	13:32	Balasore	12:48	12:50		15:52	15:57	Tatanagar	10:40	10:45
14:00	14:08	Rourkela	12:05	12:10		14:55	15:03	Hijli	11:15	11:25		17:55	17:57	Muri	08:23	08:25
15:30	15:32	Chakradharpur	10:38	10:40		17:10	17:12	Bankura	09:06	09:08		18:55	19:00	Bokaro Steel City	07:30	07:35
17:58	18:00	Anara	08:18	08:20		18:00	18:05	Adra	08:20	08:25
20:00	20:05	Gomoh	06:55	07:00		20:00	20:05	Gomoh	06:55	07:00		20:00	20:05	Gomoh	06:25	06:30
20:56	20:58	Koderma	05:18	05:20		20:56	20:58	Koderma	05:18	05:20		20:56	20:58	Koderma	05:18	05:20
22:19	22:22	Gaya	04:10	04:13		22:19	22:22	Gaya	04:10	04:13		22:19	22:22	Gaya	04:10	04:13
00:35	00:45	Mughalsarai	01:52	02:02		00:35	00:45	Mughalsarai	01:52	02:02		00:35	00:45	Mughalsarai	01:52	02:02
02:33	02:35	Prayagraj	23:53	23:55		02:33	02:35	Prayagraj	23:53	23:55		02:33	02:35	Prayagraj	23:53	23:55
04:40	04:45	Kanpur Central	21:42	21:47		04:40	04:45	Kanpur Central	21:42	21:47		04:40	04:45	Kanpur Central	21:42	21:47
09:55	---	New Delhi	---	17:00		09:55	---	New Delhi	---	17:00		09:55	---	New Delhi	---	17:00

Incidents

• On 27 October 2009, Bhubaneswar Rajdhani was hijacked by Maoists and later train was taken over by Security Forces no damage to life happened.^[9]
• On 3 Apr 2019, two coaches of Bhubaneswar Rajdhani uncoupled on the river bridge which is 2.5 km away from Cuttack immediately the loco pilot stopped the train, no casualties reported.^[10]
• On 11 May 2019, a fire broke out at Generator Car of Bhubaneswar Rajdhani nearby Balasore, immediately railway staffs kept fire in under control, no casualties reported.^[11]

Notes and References

1. News: Rail Budget 1994-95. 26 May 2019.
2. http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/1997-98.pdf Rail Budget 1997-98
3. http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/2002-03.pdf Rail Budget 2002-03
4. http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/2003-04.pdf Rail Budget 2003-04
5. News: Rail Budget 2009-10. 26 May 2019.
6. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/bhubaneswar-new-delhi-rajdhani-express-via-sambalpur-once-a-week/articleshow/60994381.cms?from=mdr Economic Times
7. 1210082626330980352. EastCoastRail. .@RailMinIndia Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express with branding by @NALCO_India showcasing Heritage and Culture of Odisha flagged off by Hon'ble Union Minister @dpradhanbjp from Bhubaneswar Railway Station @DRMKhurdaroad https://t.co/DKmW6UG95t. East Coast Railway. East Coast Railway. 26 December 2019. 4 September 2021. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20191226062322/https://twitter.com/eastcoastrail/status/1210082626330980352. 26 December 2019. live.
8. Web site: Sharma . Vikash . Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express gets Tejas rakes; Second Vande Bharat for Odisha soon, says Vaishnaw . 2024-01-14 . Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express gets Tejas rakes; Second Vande Bharat for Odisha soon, says Vaishnaw . en.
9. Web site: 28 October 2009. Elora. Sen. Rajdhani blockade over, passengers safe. 2021-09-04. India Today. en.
10. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/coaches-of-rajdhani-uncouple-on-bridge-none-hurt/articleshow/68694514.cms India Times
11. https://www.businesstoday.in/top-story/fire-on-new-delhi-bhubaneswar-rajdhani-express-no-casualties-reported/story/345614.html Business Today