Kalinga Utkal Express

Kalinga Utkal Express
Kalinga Utkal Express train board
Overview
Service typeExpress
LocaleOdisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi & Uttarakhand
First service1 October 1969; 55 years ago (1969-10-01)[1] (initial service between Puri and New Delhi)
Current operator(s)East Coast Railways
Route
TerminiPuri (PURI)
Yog Nagari Rishikesh (YNRK)
Stops73
Distance travelled2,367 km (1,471 mi)
Average journey time48 hours 25 minutes
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)18477 / 18478
On-board services
Class(es)AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsYes
Catering facilitiesAvailable
Baggage facilitiesNo
Technical
Rolling stockLHB coach
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed49 km/h (30 mph) average including halts
Route map
Kalinga Utkal Express Route Map

The 18477 / 18478 Kalinga Utkal Express is an important Express of Indian Railways connecting two pilgrimage centres of India, Yog Nagari Rishikesh and Puri.

Kaling Utkal Express near Dholpur
Kalinga Utkal Express in Ghaziabad Junction

History

Kalinga Utkal Express was introduced in 1969 as train no.77/78 Utkal Express, a bi-weekly train from Puri to Hazrat Nizamuddin. The frequency of the train was later increased to 4 days a week. In 1983 Utkal Express was merged with erstwhile train no.143/144 Kalinga Express to become Kalinga Utkal Express and the frequency was also increased to daily.

Route and halts

The train runs from Puri via Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Tatanagar, Chakradharpur, Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Raigarh, Champa, Bilaspur, Pendra Road, Anuppur Junction, Shahdol, Umaria, Katni Murwara, Saugor, Khurai, Jhansi Junction, Gwalior, Dholpur, Agra Cantonment, Mathura Junction, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Meerut City, Muzaffarnagar, Tapri Junction, Roorkee, Haridwar to Yog Nagari Rishikesh.

Locomotive

It is hauled by Tughlakabad / Ghaziabad-based WAP-7 locomotive on its entire journey.

Rakes

This train has total 5 rakes running between Puri & Haridwar. The train has 24 coaches comprising
One A/C 2-Tier
One A/C 1-Tier
Four A/C 3-tier
Twelve Sleeper class
Three General compartments (unreserved)
Two Luggage van (SLR) and
One pantry car.[a]

Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
SLR GS B1 A1 H1 B2 B3 B4 S1 S2 PC S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 GS GS SLR

Accidents

On 19 August 2017, heading to Haridwar in Uttarakhand from Puri in Odisha, the Kalinga-Utkal Express derailed with fourteen coaches of the train going off track in Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh.[2][3] The incident resulted in the death of 23 people while injuring 40 others. Minister for Railways, Suresh Prabhu, ordered an inquiry into the incident.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ The coach composition is subject to change.

References

  1. ^ "Railway Budget speech 1970-71" (PDF). www.indianrailways.gov.in. Government of India, Ministry of Railways. 23 February 1970.
  2. ^ Wilkes, Tommy. "Train derails in Uttar Pradesh, killing about 20 and injuring..." IN. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Railway Tribunal Benches To Settle Claims Of Utkal Express Accident Victims". NDTV.com. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Railway Tribunal Benches To Settle Claims Of Utkal Express Accident Victims". NDTV.com. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
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