Jamshedpur, Aug. 30: The South Eastern Railway (SER) on Friday flagged off Tatanagar-Ranchi Intercity Express, a direct train connecting Jamshedpur with Ranchi. On the occasion, Jamshedpur MP Bidhyut Baran Mahto flagged off the train at Tatanagar Railway station. As per the plans Tatanagar-Ranchi Intercity Express will leave Tatanagar at 5.25am and reach Ranchi at 10.15am.On its return journey, the train will leave Ranchi at 4.45pm and reach Tatanagar at 10.15pm.
The train will run via Kandra, Chandil, Barabhum, Purulia, Kotshila, Muri and Namkum and will halt for two minutes at each of these stations.
The train has 12 coaches � six general sitting cum luggage coach, three reserved sitting coach, one AC-chair car and two luggage vans.
�It is the most awaited train .A direct train from Tatanagar to the state capital was a long-standing demand. The train will give boost to the two destinations. People who have to visit Ranchi frequently will be benefited. Currently, they have to travel either by long distance buses or cabs,� said an official of SER.
Located on the Howrah-Mumbai main route Tatanagar is an important station. Several important trains travel via Tatanagar, including the high-profile Rajdhani Express and Duronto Express. The station sees a daily traffic of 90 mail, express and passenger trains, besides a footfall of more than 60,000 passengers.
The South Eastern Railway (SER) has also announced a passenger train connecting Hatia with Shanki that falls under East Central Railway and is part of new Barkakana-Ranchi railway line project. The Hatia-Shanki Passenger train comprising five coaches will leave Hatia station at 5.40am and reach Sankhi at 7.25am. On its return journey, the train will leave Sankhi at 7.55am and chug into Hatia at 10.20am. In the evening, the train will leave Hatia at 5.10pm and reach Sankhi at 6.55pm. On its way back, it will leave Sankhi at 9.05pm and reach Hatia at 10.05pm.