Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, which will run through Sambalpur and Jharsuguda, was flagged off from city railway station on Saturday.

It will stop in Cuttack, Sambalpur, Chakradharpur, Jharsuguda, Anara, Rourkela, Gomoh, Koderma, Gaya, Mughalsarai and Kanpur Central. "We had to depend on a few trains to go to Delhi. Now, we are happy that we can board Rajdhani," said Sambalpur resident Sesha Dev.

Minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off the train through a videoconferencing from New Delhi. "It is a historic day for the people of Odisha. Their demand for Rajdhani Express is fulfilled. We will try to increase frequency of the train," said Sinha.

However, a section of people at Talcher Road on Saturday demonstrated demanding a Rajdhani halt at their town. Pradhan said they would try to have Angul and Dhenkanal in the stoppage list.

What you need to know

20817/20818 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express via Sambalpur City and Jharsuguda to run on Saturdays from Bhubaneswar and on Sundays from New Delhi

22811/22812 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express via Bhadrak and Adra to run on Saturdays from Bhubaneswar and on Sundays from New Delhi

22811/22812 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express via Bhadrak to run on Wednesdays and Sundays from Bhubaneswar and on Mondays and Fridays from New Delhi