Majhi Flags Off Premium Puri-Ayodhya & Tirupati Buses Ahead of Rath Yatra

Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi will flag off the new “Shri Jagannath Express” inter-state bus network today, giving pilgrims and other travellers premium, direct links from Puri and other cities to major hubs across India. Timed strategically just before the Rath Yatra, the launch is being organised by the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC).

Eight inaugural routes have been announced: Puri–Ayodhya, Puri–Ujjain, Puri–Tirupati, Puri–Hyderabad, Puri–Bhilai, Bhubaneswar–Visakhapatnam, Raighar–Hyderabad and Bhawanipatna–Hyderabad. OSRTC officials say the super-premium coaches are equipped with modern safety features, reclining seats and on-board entertainment to make long journeys more comfortable.

Commercial operations begin tomorrow, with seats already available on the OSRTC portal. Travellers from outside Odisha can now reach Puri directly for the Rath Yatra and return on the same network once the festivities end, while local commuters gain faster connections to southern and northern corridors.

Though private operators traditionally add extra buses for the festival, this is the first time the state carrier has branded an inter-state service around Lord Jagannath, signalling OSRTC’s intent to emerge as a pan-India player in long-distance road travel.