Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the first direct Ramnagar-Dehradun Express, enhancing rail connectivity between Uttarakhand's Kumaon and Garhwal regions.
New Delhi: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday virtually flagged off the inaugural Ramnagar-Dehradun Express, the first direct Express train connecting Ramnagar and Dehradun, marking a significant boost to rail connectivity between Uttarakhand's Kumaon and Garhwal regions.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami joined the event via video conferencing and said the new service fulfils a long-pending demand of the people while strengthening transportation across the State.
The Ramnagar-Dehradun Express will operate every Wednesday and Friday. Train No. 15310 will depart Ramnagar at 5.50 am and arrive in Dehradun at 12.40 pm, while Train No. 15309 will leave Dehradun at 3.55 pm and reach Ramnagar at 11.30 pm. The train will stop at Kashipur, Roshanpur, Pipalsana, Moradabad, Najibabad and Haridwar.
The service will include AC Second Class, AC Third Class, AC Chair Car, Sleeper Class, Second Sitting and General Second Class coaches, catering to passengers across different travel segments.
Speaking on the occasion, Vaishnaw said the new train would provide faster, more convenient and reliable connectivity for residents of Uttarakhand. He also announced that Rishikesh railway station would be developed as a feeder station to reduce congestion at Haridwar, with a master plan being prepared to expand rail capacity.
The Railway Minister said redevelopment work is progressing at 11 railway stations in Uttarakhand, including Dehradun, Haridwar Junction, Ramnagar, Kathgodam, Kashipur Junction, Roorkee and Tanakpur. He said the redevelopment of Haridwar and Dehradun stations would focus on improving passenger amenities, particularly for poor and middle-class travellers, without increasing congestion.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said railway infrastructure has expanded significantly in Uttarakhand in recent years. He noted that work on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line is progressing rapidly and described it as a future lifeline for the State's social, economic, religious and tourism development.
Dhami also said Uttarakhand has received a record railway budget allocation of Rs.4,769 crore, while railway projects worth more than Rs.40,000 crore are currently under implementation. He added that several railway infrastructure projects are being planned ahead of the upcoming Kumbh in Haridwar.
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