Bhubaneswar: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday flagged off Sambalpur-Hatia-Gorakhpur Maurya Express from Odisha’s Sambalpur railway station.
On the inaugural day, the train will run as a special train from Sambalpur. However, the regular service in the extended portion for the train will commence shortly. Without disturbing the scheduled timings and stoppages between Hatia and Gorakhpur, this train has been extended to Sambalpur.
Extension of the train to Sambalpur will be beneficial for the people of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. The extension from Sambalpur to Gorakhpur will serve as a lifeline for the residents of Western Odisha travelling for various reasons like business, education and medical treatment.
Besides, it will boost the tourism and cultural exchange having direct connectivity between Gorakhpur and Sambalpur.
The train will have stoppages at important stations including Rengali, Jharsuguda and Rourkela between Sambalpur and Hatia.
Divisional Railway Manager Tushar Kant Pandey and Rengali MLA Nauri Nayak were also present at the inaugural function.
