Bathinda, August 15
The Union Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, will flag off Shatabdi Express between Delhi and Bathinda tomorrow for providing the people of this region faster connectivity to the national Capital.

A galaxy of VIPs, including Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, Mrs Parneet Kaur, Mr Sukhbir Badal, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President, SAD (Amritsar), and Mr Bhan Singh Bhora (all MPs), Mr Surinder Singla, Chairman, Finance Committee, Punjab, and former minister Chiranji Lal Garg will attend the ceremony.

The train will run five days a week. Mr Singla said here today that Shatabdi Express was being introduced due to the relentless efforts of all Congress MPs, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and former Union Railway Minister Digvijay Singh.

He said he had urged the railway authorities to improve the rail track so that the time taken to cover the distance between Bathinda and Delhi could be reduced and it could run all days of the week. He pointed out that Punjab was the only state where travel without ticket was rare and railway revenue significant.

Mr Kanwar Lal Meena, Station Superintendent, when contacted said after the introduction of Shatabdi, an ultra-modern platform would be constructed. The facility of route relay interlocking (RRI) would be provided at this junction for quick movement of more than hundred trains daily.

He said Shatabdi Express, which would leave Bathinda at 5 a.m., would touch the Delhi station at 11.15 a.m. It would leave Delhi at 5.25 p.m. and reach Bathinda at 11.35 p.m. It would have five stops at Barnala, Dhuri, Patiala, Rajpura and Ambala during its to and fro journey. The one way fare for an adult would be Rs 590 and for children below 12 Rs 305.