Rly min launches passenger train between Dohrighat, Aunrihar

Lucknow: Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday virtually flagged off the new Dohrighat-Aunrihar passenger train service, aimed at improving rail connectivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh.The ceremony was attended by Uttar Pradesh energy minister Arvind Kumar Sharma, MP Rajeev Rai, senior railway officials and other dignitaries.The train will run between Aunrihar and Dohrighat with stoppages at Sadat, Jakhanian, Dullahapur, Mau, Indara, Kopaganj, Ghosi, Amila and Muradpur stations. It will operate with an eight coach passenger rake designed for daily travel.Vaishnaw announced that the service would soon be extended up to Varanasi, providing direct connectivity to one of the region’s major cultural and commercial centres.Vaishnaw said the new service would benefit students, traders, pilgrims and office commuters. He added that improved rail access would support tourism, local business activity, education and employment opportunities in the region.The minister also announced plans for a new express train connecting Purvanchal with Delhi through the northern Ganga corridor. The proposed route will connect Chhapra, Ballia, Mau, Azamgarh, Shahganj, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Ghaziabad and Anand Vihar.Referring to railway development in Uttar Pradesh, Vaishnaw said the Indara–Dohrighat metre gauge line, originally built in 1904, had been converted to broad gauge after 2014. He said railway projects worth nearly Rs 1.2 lakh crore are currently underway in the state, including new lines, doubling works and major corridor development projects aimed at expanding rail capacity and improving connectivity.The daily passenger train has been introduced to meet a long standing demand for direct rail connectivity in Mau and Ghazipur districts.‘Bullet train corridor planned for UP, facility to make travel faster’Lucknow: Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said work on the proposed bullet train corridor for Uttar Pradesh is progressing rapidly after the project was announced in this year’s Union Budget and the train would considerably reduce travel time.He said that the travel time between Delhi and Agra would be 58 minutes, while Delhi to Lucknow would take 2 hours and 12 minutes. The journey from Delhi to Ayodhya will take about 2 hours and 47 minutes while the travel time from Delhi to Varanasi is expected to be 3 hours and 33 minutes.The proposed corridor will also significantly reduce travel time within Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow to Prayagraj would take 48 minutes, Lucknow to Varanasi 1 hour and 21 minutes, and Lucknow to Ayodhya only 35 minutes.Vaishnaw said the bullet train network connecting Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna and Siliguri would improve connectivity with the northeastern states and support the vision of a developed Uttar Pradesh and developed India.He said the project is aimed at benefiting middle class and ordinary citizens, adding that efforts would be made to keep bullet train travel affordable and accessible to the public.