Bhubaneswar: Following the flagging off Berhampur-Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi took a ride on the semi-high-speed train from Berhampur. 

"It was a good fortune for me that I am travelling by Vande Bharat train inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Majhi told media while enjoying the train ride along with a few school students from Berhampur to Bhubaneswar. 

The Berhampur-Tatanagar Vande Bharat train will pass through all major stations in Odisha connecting two cities -- Silk City Berhampur and India's Steel City Tatanagar, he said. 

"Before launching of Vande Bharat trains, I had proposed the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to connect the southern part of Odisha with the coastal and northern regions through the Vande Bharat train project. Considering my proposal, he started from Berhampur to Tatanagar," Majhi said. 

According to East Coast Railway (ECoR), Berhampur-Tatanagar Vande Bharat will have stoppages at Banspani, Keonjhar, Harichandanpur, Jakhapura, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road and Balugaon in Odisha. 

The Vande Bharat will not only connect Silk City Berhampur with India's Steel City Tatanagar, will also play a crucial role in the development of tourism in Odisha, he added. 

During the trip, the CM also interacted with schoolchildren on the train. 

Prime Minister today flagged off six new Vande Bharat Express trains including two for Odisha during a programme in Ranchi. 

With this, the number of Vande Bharat trains running through Odisha has reached five.