Godda district Santhal Pargana division of Jharkhand got the first direct link with state capital Ranchi after Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav online inaugurated the service on Wednesday.

The inauguration programme was attended by BJP’s Godda MP Nishikant Dubey and Malda DRM Yatendra Kumar. The direct train service between Godda and Ranchi was an outstanding demand of people of Godda as due to direct transportation facility they had to face problems

“This is a Durga Puja gift by the railway especially to people of Godda.  South Eastern Railways has introduced a special tri-weekly train to Ranchi. The train number 08604 (Ranchi – Godda) special train will start from Ranchi on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. From Godda, it will run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The departure time of the train from Ranchi is 3pm and it will arrive at Godda at 7:20 am on the next day. From Godda the train will leave at 1.15 PM and will reach Ranchi at 5 am the next day,” sources in the railway said.

The train will pass through Hansdiha, Bhagalpur, Kiul, Jasidih, Dhanbad, and Bokaro.

Dubey expressed happiness over Godda getting a direct train to Ranchi. “The script of the development of Godda is being written under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Very soon Godda will be connected to Mumbai and other metro cities directly,” he said.

The MP said that he had been trying for a long time to bring Godda on the rail map and the central government conceded the demand of people. He added that after rail lines were laid in Godda it opened the gate of development of this district. So far the rail ministry has granted the sixth train to Godda.