Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Friday flagged off the first direct train from Anand Vihar here to Ballia in Uttar Pradesh and said railways has fulfilled a "long pending demand".
Prabhu said, "It was a long pending demand of the people of Ballia to introduce a direct train between Ballia and Delhi, which has now been fulfilled on the auspicious occasion of Diwali."
Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said, "Indian Railways wants to bring every corner of the country on railway map in true spirit and is working in that direction effortlessly."
The train with number "22428" will leave Anand Vihar station every Saturday at 11.55 p.m. and reach Ballia the next day at 3.35 p.m. On the return journey the train numbered "22427" will start on Sunday from Ballia at 10 p.m. and reach Anand Vihar at 12.50 p.m. the next day.
--IANS
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