Kalinga Utkal Express

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

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.

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. The incident resulted in the death of 23 people while injuring 40 others. Minister for Railways, Suresh Prabhu, ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Notes

References

External links

• http://indiarailinfo.com/train/1698?kkk=1315073182616
• http://livetrainstatus.co.in/18477-utkal-express-running-status/
• http://livetrainstatus.co.in/18478-kalingautkalexp-running-status/

1. Khatauli
2. 2017 Khatauli train derailment
3. List of trains run by Indian Railways
4. List of railway accidents and incidents in India
5. Yog Nagari Rishikesh railway station
6. Puri railway station
7. Bilaspur Junction railway station
8. Khatauli railway station
9. Tapri Junction railway station
10. Lalitpur Junction railway station
11. Shahdol railway station
12. Bhubaneswar
13. List of rail accidents (2010–2019)
14. Morena railway station
15. Raigarh railway station
16. Saugor railway station
17. Dabra railway station
18. Champa Junction railway station
19. Auraiya train derailment
20. Pendra Road railway station