Chhattisgarh CM Sai Flags Off Raipur-Jabalpur Daily Express Train

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday flagged off the Raipur-Jabalpur daily express train from Raipur railway station, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the new service for the benefit of the people of the state.

Sai was accompanied by Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Raman Singh, BJP MP Brijmohan Agrawal and party MLAs while flagging off the train service. "It is a matter of great joy for the people of Chhattisgarh that a new train service for Jabalpur has started. For this, on behalf of the three crore people of Chhattisgarh, I thank our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw," he told reporters.

Before the latest launch, there was only one train connecting Raipur with Jabalpur. The new train will travel to Jabalpur via Dongargarh, a popular pilgrimage town in the Rajnandgaon district. People will benefit from this, he added.

CM Vishnu Deo Sai flags off the express train service at Raipur railway station. (ETV Bharat)

The train will leave Raipur at 2.45 pm and run via Durg, Rajnandgaon, Dongargarh, Gondia, Balaghat, Nainpur and Madan Mahal before reaching Jabalpur at 10.45 pm, a public relations official of the railways said. On the return journey, it will depart from Jabalpur at 6 am and reach Raipur at 1.50 pm, he added.

The train will have 15 coaches, including eight general class coaches, four chair cars and one AC chair car, he said. "The South East Central Railway (SECR) is committed to providing better facilities to the passengers through this new initiative. This service will not only provide easy transportation to the passengers, but will also give impetus to regional social and economic activities," the official said.

"Raipur-Jabalpur Intercity Express will not only bring Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh closer, but also strengthen the social, cultural and economic relations between the two," Awadhesh Kumar Trivedi, senior DCM, said.

The service will particularly be beneficial for businesspersons, students, tourists and daily commuters. Cities like Raipur, Dongargarh, Balaghat, Nainpur and Jabalpur are rich in cultural, historical and natural heritage, he added. With the service, tourists will find it easier to reach places like Nandanvan Zoological Park, Maa Bamleshwari temple, Kanha National Park, Bhedaghat and Dhuandhar waterfall, he added.

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