Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged off six new Vande Bharat trains including two for Odisha.
The Prime Minister flagged off the Vande Bharat Trains from Tatanagar Junction Railway Station in Jharkhand.
Among six, Odisha received two semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains – Berhampur-Tatanagar Express and Rourkela-Howrah Express.
The other four new routes are Tatanagar-Patna, Deoghar-Varanasi, Bhagalpur-Howrah and Gaya-Howrah.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that today every city and every state wants a Vande Bharat train to boost connectivity. He recalled flagging off three new Vande Bharat trains for the states in the North and South of India a few days ago and mentioned flagging off six new Vande Bharat trains today which have already begun their journey.
The Prime Minister underscored that the expansion of rail connectivity in Eastern India will strengthen the economy of the region and hugely benefit businesses, professionals and students.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was present at Berhampur station during the flagging of the Berhampur-Tata Vande Bharat Express.
Lauding Prime Minister Modi’s vision, the CM said that India has become a leader in infrastructure development, with 140 crore people marching towards a developed India. He highlighted Berhampur’s significance as a prosperous city famous for its silk sarees and commercial centre.
He said that the Vande Bharat Express will boost tourism and trade in the region.
The Berhampur-Tatanagar Vande Bharat will have stoppages at Banspani, Keonjhar, Harichandanpur, Jakhapura, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road and Balugaon in Odisha.
Similarly, Rourkela-Howrah Vande Bharat Express will have only three stoppages — Chakradharpur, Tatanagar and Kharagpur — between the originating and destination stations.