It’s double bonanza for Jharkhand from the railways.
The South Eastern Railway (SER) on Tuesday announced two new trains for the state —Tatanagar-Ranchi Intercity Express, a direct train connecting Jamshedpur with Ranchi, and a passenger train connecting Hatia with Shanki that falls under East Central Railway and is part of new Barkakana-Ranchi railway line project.
Both the trains will have their inaugural run on Thursday and will begin their daily journey from Friday.
According to a circular issued by Garden Reach, the headquarters of SER on Tuesday afternoon, 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 will have 12 coaches — six general sitting cum luggage coach, three reserved sitting coach, one AC-chair car and two luggage vans.
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.
“A direct train from Tatanagar to the state capital was a long-standing demand. We thank the railways for taking the decision to run a train between 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 Vijay Moonka, general secretary of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).
He said the train between Hatia and Shanki would also benefit students and local traders.
SER officials said a function would be organised at the Ranchi railway station before the Ranchi-Tatanagar Intercity Express is flagged off by minister of state for railways Suresh C. Angadi on August 29.
Chief minister Raghubar Das, Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and state urban development minister C.P. Singh would also be present.