# Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express

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. 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) and also changed its route to Adra Instead of bypassing Howrah in 2002.
* 2nd set of Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express was introduced on 2003 by Nitish Kumar (Former Minister of Railways) as a bi-weekly frequency train. Later in 2004 the frequency of this train are increased to 4 days in a week.
* 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.

## 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. However, it was upgraded to Tejas rake on 14 August 2023, making it the latest and 5th Tejas Rajdhani Express of India.

## 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 1 - via Sambalpur City | Route 1 - via Sambalpur City | Route 1 - via Sambalpur City | Route 1 - via Sambalpur City | Route 2 - via Adra | Route 2 - via Adra | Route 2 - via Adra | Route 2 - via Adra | Route 2 - via Adra | Route 3 - via Tatanagar | Route 3 - via Tatanagar | Route 3 - via Tatanagar | Route 3 - via Tatanagar | Route 3 - via Tatanagar |
| Train No. 20817 | Train No. 20817 | Stations | Train No. 20818 | Train No. 20818 | Train No. 22811 | Train No. 22811 | Stations | Train No. 22812 | Train No. 22812 | Train No. 22823 | Train No. 22823 | Stations | Train No. 22824 | Train No. 22824 |
| Arrival | Departure | Stations | Arrival | Departure | Arrival | Departure | Stations | Arrival | Departure | Arrival | Departure | Stations | 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 | 11:52 | 11:54 | Jajpur Keonjhar Road | 14:21 | 14:23 | 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 | 18:55 | 19:00 | Bokaro Steel City | 07:30 | 07:35 |
| 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.
* 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.
* 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.

## Gallery

* Bhubaneswar Rajdhani being hauled by a Duronto-liveried WAP-7 of Ghaziabad Loco Shed.
* Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express via Sambalpur City – AC Three Tier coach
* Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express via Sambalpur City – AC First Class coach
* Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express via Sambalpur City – Train board