In a bid to understand more about what the passengers feel about railway services, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw boarded a train in Odisha and engaged with passengers.

On Thursday, Vaishnaw arrived in Bhubaneswar to begin the “Jan Ashirwad Yatra”. During his visit to the state, the Union Railway Minister onboarded a train for an overnight journey from Bhubaneswar to Rayagada, where he interacted with the passengers.

The passengers were in surprise when the railway minister went from one compartment to the other, seeking their feedback on rail services and hygiene.

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Vaishnaw was entrusted with the Railways portfolio and other responsibilities in the Union Cabinet expansion last month.

In a video that emerged on social media, the railway minister is seen speaking to a passenger in Odia. He also asked the passenger where he works and then took reviews of the train’s hygiene. The passenger responded that it is and the minister pats him on the shoulder before moving on.

In another video, Vaishnaw is seen speaking to some more passengers. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Odisha a Railway Minister for the first time,” he is heard telling the passengers. He then adds that the Prime Minister has a vision and he will get all basic work done.

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In a video shared by the Railway Minister in a Twitter post, a woman passenger is heard saying that it was a “great opportunity”. “We never thought we can meet with you people,” she said. To this, the minister replies in Hindi, “Hum toh dekho aap hi ke jaise hain, sadharan nagrik hain (We are ordinary citizens, just like you)”.

In a media interview, Vaishnaw said, “It is a different feeling altogether, and it feels so good to be on India’s lifeline where you are working on a Mission. It brings a bigger sense of responsibility and tells you how important the Rail feedback is.”

Ashwini Vaishnaw had worked in various parts of Odisha as an IAS officer and now represents the state in Rajya Sabha.