Odisha: President Droupadi Murmu boards special train from Bhubaneswar to Berhampur in historic first

Bhubaneswar : In a historic milestone for Odisha, President Droupadi Murmu, accompanied by Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, departed from Bhubaneswar Railway Station on Tuesday aboard a special train bound for Berhampur. The journey marks a rare and historic event, as President Murmu becomes the first sitting President of India to travel to Berhampur Railway Station by train.
Extensive security arrangements were executed by the Commissionerate of Police, Government Railway Police (GRP), and Railway Protection Force (RPF). A multi-tier security cordon was maintained inside and around the Bhubaneswar station premises, with platforms 1 and 2 cleared exclusively for the Presidential Special Train.
Upon reaching Berhampur, the President’s convoy will proceed to the famous hot-spring shrine at Taptapani in Ganjam district. President Murmu is scheduled to offer special prayers and perform aarti at the revered Maa Kandhuni Devi Temple as well as the nearby Shiva Temple. Following the temple visit, the President will travel to Gopalpur, where she is scheduled to make a night halt at the Army Air Defence College / Army School facilities.
The three-day presidential visit to Odisha, which began yesterday with the inauguration of Jagadguru Kripalu University in Cuttack, will conclude tomorrow when she returns to the national capital.
Earlier on Monday, the President met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The high-level meeting underscored the expanding partnership between New Delhi and Tashkent, touching upon trade, rare earth critical minerals, educational exchanges, and shared civilizational roots.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding strategic cooperation across Central Asia, agreeing that “discussions held during this visit will further strengthen the bonds of friendship, trust, and cooperation between our two nations.”