Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday announced that the Indian Railways will operate more than 300 special trains for the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha and over 100 special trains during the Onam festival in Kerala to facilitate smooth and affordable travel for passengers.
Earlier in the day, Vaishnaw flagged off the Nanded-Mumbai Express and the Tanakpur-Nanded Express, besides inaugurating the extension of the Tanakpur-Pilibhit train service up to Shahjahanpur through video conferencing from Rail Sadan in Bhubaneswar.
Addressing the event virtually, the Railway Minister said the special train services are part of the Railways' efforts to meet the surge in passenger demand during major religious and festive occasions.
"In the summer season, which concluded on June 30, a record 15,000 special trains were run this year. For Jagannath Rath Yatra, over 300 special trains will be run. Over 100 special trains will be operated for Onam in Kerala. This is a big effort from the Railways, the Central government and Prime Minister Modi that our citizens get affordable and safe services," Vaishnaw said.
The minister said the newly introduced train services would significantly improve rail connectivity while catering to the long-pending demands of passengers from different parts of the country, particularly the Sikh community residing in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
"There was a long-standing demand for a train from Tanakpur to Nanded Sahib, Hazur Sahib. It will benefit the large Sikh community in the Terai regions of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Everyone wishes to stay connected to the 'Panj Takht', and this railway connectivity will fulfil that sentiment," he said.
Responding to local demands, Vaishnaw said the Railways would examine the feasibility of providing stoppages for the Tanakpur-Nanded Express at Khatima and Banbasa stations.
"The demand that has come for Khatima and Banbasa will be examined fully in the next few days. If it becomes possible, we will definitely provide a stoppage for this train at Khatima and Banbasa," he said.
Speaking about the newly flagged-off Nanded-Mumbai Express, the Railway Minister said the service would enhance connectivity for the districts of Washim, Hingoli and Basmat, offering improved travel options to passengers from the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra.
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He also announced that the Tanakpur-Pilibhit passenger train has now been extended up to Shahjahanpur, while the Tanakpur-Agra service, which was earlier operated as a special train, has been converted into a regular service to provide greater convenience to commuters.
Highlighting the transformation of the Indian Railways over the past 12 years, Vaishnaw said the network has witnessed unprecedented expansion and modernisation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"In the past 12 years, an effort for transformation of the railways is going on. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given special attention to the railways, due to which today about 37,000 km of new railway tracks have been built. Never before in India's history has such development of railways taken place. This is a very big achievement for the country and was a very big need for the country. Along with this, electrification of the railways has reached 99.6%," the minister said.
Vaishnaw said the expansion of railway infrastructure, combined with near-complete electrification and the operation of additional special trains during peak travel seasons, reflects the Centre's continued focus on improving connectivity, enhancing passenger convenience and providing safe, reliable and affordable rail services across the country.
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