Goyal flags off Ara – Ranchi Express, R K Singh inaugurates FOB

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara :  Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal flagged off 18639/18640 Ara-Ranchi Express through video link from New Delhi on March 1, 2019, while Raj Kumar Singh, BJP MP from Ara and  Union Minister of state (Independent charge), Ministry of Power, New and Renewable Energy, inaugurated a 20 feet wide Foot Over Bridge (FOB), escalator and upgraded light system at Ara railway station.

Addressing the gathering at Ara railway station through the video link, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that Ara-Ranchi Express will start from Ara railway station on Sunday every week at about 10 am and will reach Ranchi via Sasaram, Gaya, Gomo around 9.30 pm the same day. He said the passengers of Ara and vicinity will now not have to go to Patna to catch a train for Ranchi and added that the new FOB will lessen the load on old FOB and escalator will help the senior citizen and physically challenged persons. He further said that electrification of Ara-Sasaram rail line would be completed by March 15, 2019.

He further said that FOBs are being constructed at Koelwar, Bihia, Bhadaura and added that a road over bridge at Bihia yard and platform shade at Bihia railway station was under construction at an estimated cost of about Rs 22 crore.

Union Minister Raj Kumar Singh, speaking on occasion, highlighted his achievement in the last five years and said that he tried to fulfil the promises he had made during campaigning in 2014 and added that still a lot of work is to be done.

Ranjan Prasad Thakur, DRM, Danapur, Sujit Kumar Jha, Senior Divisional Engineer, Pankaj Kumar, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Chandra Mohan Mishra, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, and other senior railway officers were present on the occasion. Md Manzrool Hassan, Senior Divisional Manager (Finance), conducted the meeting.