Naveen reiterates demand for direct trains between Surat and Berhampur

BHUBANESWAR: Two days ahead of his scheduled visit to Surat, chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday reiterated his demands for introduction of daily trains and direct flights from Odisha to the Gujarat city.
In a letter to Union civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu, he demanded direct flight between Bhubaneswar and Surat as Odia people living in Surat face untold difficulties in reaching Odisha in time during the hours of urgent necessity.It was his second letter as he made similar demands in his previous letter on August 24.
As people from both the cities visit places of tourist interest in and around the two cities every year, Naveen said air connectivity between Bhubaneswar and Surat can give rise to tourist inflow to both the places.
As around seven lakh Odia people, mostly from Ganjam and nearby districts, are engaged in textile and diamond industries in Gujarat, Naveen asked to introduce two direct trains trains between Berhampur and Surat. In a letter to Union railways minister Suresh Prabhu, he reminded of his previous letter on August 28 on the similar issue.
Three trains are being run at presenting connecting the two places. While Puri-Ahmedabad Express running four days a week, two other trains-- Puri-Okha Express and Puri-Gandhidham run once a week.
These trains services are not only inconvenient but also inadequate to cater to the requirements of people residing in Surat.
In another letter to his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani, Naveen also demanded land for a community centre in Surat to meet the requirements of Odia people for their social celebrations.