New Passenger Train to Boost Purvanchal Connectivity:Ashwini Vaishnaw
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday flagged off a new passenger train connecting Dohrighat and Aunrihar in eastern Uttar Pradesh and announced plans to extend the service to Varanasi, as the government seeks to strengthen rail connectivity in the Purvanchal region.
The daily passenger train will run via Mau and halt at Sadat, Jakhanian, Dullahapur, Indara, Kopaganj, Ghosi, Amila and Muradpur stations, the Railway Ministry said in a statement.
Vaishnaw, speaking via video conference at the inauguration event, said the train service would soon be extended to Varanasi, a move aimed at improving access for commuters, students, traders and pilgrims in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The service will operate with an eight-coach passenger rake and is expected to provide affordable daily transport for residents of Mau and Ghazipur districts.
The railway minister also announced plans for a new express train linking Chhapra in Bihar with Delhi through Ballia, Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Lucknow, Kanpur and Ghaziabad.
“The service will be started soon,” Vaishnaw said, responding to long-standing demands for better rail connectivity between Purvanchal and the national capital.
The minister said railway investment in Uttar Pradesh had risen sharply over the past decade, with projects worth about 1.2 trillion rupees ($14.2 billion) currently underway in the state.
He added that the historic Indara–Dohrighat line, originally built as a metre-gauge route in 1904, had been converted to broad gauge after years of delay, allowing new passenger services to begin on the corridor.
Vaishnaw also highlighted several ongoing rail infrastructure projects in Uttar Pradesh, including new lines, doubling works and third-line expansions across eastern and central parts of the state.
He said 157 stations in Uttar Pradesh were being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat station scheme, including Mau, Ghazipur City and Dildarnagar stations in the Purvanchal region.
The minister also referred to the proposed high-speed rail corridor connecting Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patand Siliguri, saying the project would significantly reduce travel times and improve connectivity with northeastern India.
