Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaisnaw virtually flags off Dohrighat-Aunrihar passenger train

The launch ceremony was held in the presence of the Cabinet Minister of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, Arvind Kumar Sharma; Member of Parliament, Rajeev Rai, along with other dignitaries and senior railway officials, according to a release.

This marks a significant step towards enhancing rail connectivity and passenger convenience in the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh. The new train service has been introduced keeping in view the convenience of rail passengers and the long-standing demand for direct daily connectivity for the people of Mau and Ghazipur districts.

The train will halt at Sadat, Jakhanian, Dullahapur, Mau, Indara, Kopaganj, Ghosi, Amila and Muradpur stations. The train will be extended upto Varanasi soon.

The train will operate with an 8-coach rake comprising passenger coaches designed to provide comfortable and convenient travel for daily commuters and other passengers on the route.

Making a significant announcement, Vaishnaw stated that the newly introduced Aunrihar-Dohrighat-Aunrihar passenger service would be extended up to Varanasi. The extension will provide direct connectivity to the cultural and commercial hub of Varanasi, benefiting daily commuters, students, traders and pilgrims, while further strengthening rail access across eastern Uttar Pradesh, the release noted.

The new train service will provide direct, affordable, safe, and comfortable daily rail travel to passengers of Mau, Ghazipur and surrounding areas. The train will directly benefit residents of towns and villages along the Aunrihar-Dohrighat corridor. The service will support tourism, local trade, education and employment, and is expected to fulfil a long-pending demand of the people of the region.

Addressing a public gathering at Dohrighat virtually, Vaishnaw described Dohrighat as a place of deep religious and cultural significance, associated with Lord Shri Ram and revered as the meeting place of Lord Shri Parashuramji.

Responding to a long-standing demand for better Delhi connectivity from the Purvanchal region, Vaishnaw announced a new express train to be introduced through the northern Ganga corridor. The train will connect Chhapra - Ballia - Mau - Azamgarh - Shahganj - Jaunpur - Sultanpur - Lucknow - Kanpur - Aligarh - Ghaziabad - Anand Vihar. He assured the gathering that this service would be started soon.

Vaishnaw noted that the Indara-Dohrighat metre gauge line was built in 1904, over 100 years ago but that its gauge conversion had to wait until Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office. He said that after 2014, many long-pending railway projects across the country were taken up, including gauge conversion works, doubling works, and several incomplete projects. The Indara-Dohrighat line was converted to broad gauge, bringing new rail facilities to eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Railway Minister stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off train services on this newly converted line in December 2023, the release said.

The Union Minister highlighted that the railway budget allocation for Uttar Pradesh in 2014 stood at merely Rs 1,109 crore. After 2014, the allocation had grown to approximately Rs 20,012 crore. He added that railway projects worth around Rs 1.2 lakh crore are currently underway across Uttar Pradesh, a scale of railway development unprecedented in the state's history.

Vaishnaw outlined a series of major railway infrastructure projects progressing in Uttar Pradesh. He said that south of the Ganga, a major four-line corridor had been developed along the Prayagraj-Kanpur-Agra-Delhi route. Similarly, a massive four-line railway corridor is being developed north of the Ganga, connecting Delhi via Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Sitapur, Gonda and Gorakhpur towards Bihar and the Northeast.

The Minister listed the following new line and doubling projects currently in progress in the region: Chitauni-Tamkuhi Road new line; Anand Nagar-Ghughli new line; Sahjanwa-Dohrighat new line; Bahraich-Khalilabad New Line; Gorakhpur-Valmiki Nagar doubling; Burhwal-Gonda third line; Katra-Ayodhya doubling; Aunrihar-Varanasi 3rd Line; Mathura-Jhansi third line; Agra Fort-Bandikui doubling; Chopan-Chunar doubling; and Prayagraj-Manikpur third line.

Vaishnaw also informed that the old Malviya Bridge at Varanasi is ageing, and therefore, a new bridge is being constructed alongside it, carrying four railway lines on the lower deck and a six-lane highway above. The under-construction bridge is located near Namo Ghat over the Ganga. Vaishnaw said these projects would completely transform Uttar Pradesh's railway map and enable the operation of at least 500 new trains in the future, as per the release.

The Union Minister said 157 Amrit Bharat stations are being developed in Uttar Pradesh, with work already completed at 28 stations. In the Purvanchal region, redevelopment work is underway at Mau, Ghazipur City and Dildarnagar stations.

Vaishnaw said that around 58 new train services have started in Uttar Pradesh after COVID, and 568 services have been extended. He noted that 40 Amrit Bharat Express services and 32 Vande Bharat services are currently operating in Uttar Pradesh. The Anand Vihar-Mau train service commenced in February 2021, and in December 2023, new services from Mau towards Mumbai also began.

The Minister also announced that construction of underpasses at locations 14C, 25C and 27C would be taken up at a fast pace. He directed railway officials to complete the work in record time.

According to a release, Vaishnaw said that Prime Minister Modi has announced a Bullet Train Corridor for Uttar Pradesh in this year's Budget, with work progressing rapidly. He shared the proposed travel times on the corridor: Delhi-Agra: 58 minutes; Delhi-Lucknow: 2 hours 12 minutes; Delhi-Varanasi: 3 hours 33 minutes; Delhi-Ayodhya: 2 hours 47 minutes; Lucknow-Prayagraj: 48 minutes; Lucknow-Varanasi: 1 hour 21 minutes; Lucknow-Ayodhya: 35 minutes.

The Minister said the proposed bullet train network connecting Delhi - Lucknow - Varanasi - Patna - Siliguri would strengthen connectivity with the Ashta Lakshmi states of the Northeast and fulfil the vision of a Viksit Uttar Pradesh and Viksit Bharat. He assured that the bullet train would remain affordable to the middle class and ordinary citizens, and would serve as a strong foundation for a developed India. (ANI)