Ashwini Vaishnaw Flags Off New Passenger Train for Mau and Ghazipur

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday virtually flagged off the new Dohrighat–Mau–Aunrihar Passenger Train, marking a major step towards improving rail connectivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The new daily passenger service is expected to provide affordable, safe and comfortable travel to residents of Mau, Ghazipur and adjoining districts while fulfilling a long-pending public demand for better railway connectivity in the Purvanchal region.

The launch ceremony was attended by Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma, Member of Parliament Rajeev Rai, senior railway officials and other dignitaries. The Railway Minister addressed the gathering virtually and described the launch as an important milestone for the social and economic development of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The newly introduced Aunrihar–Dohrighat–Aunrihar Passenger Train will run daily with an 8-coach rake designed for comfortable travel for daily commuters, students, traders and local passengers. The train will halt at Sadat, Jakhanian, Dullahapur, Mau, Indara, Kopaganj, Ghosi, Amila and Muradpur stations, significantly improving mobility across the region.

During the event, Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the train service would soon be extended up to Varanasi, giving passengers direct rail connectivity to one of India’s most important cultural, religious and commercial centres. The proposed extension is expected to benefit pilgrims, business travellers, students and daily commuters while further strengthening the rail network across eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The Railway Minister said the new train service would directly benefit thousands of residents living along the Aunrihar–Dohrighat corridor and would support tourism, local businesses, education and employment opportunities. He noted that better rail connectivity has become essential for regional development and improving access to major cities.

Addressing the public gathering virtually from Dohrighat, Vaishnaw highlighted the historical and religious significance of the town, calling it an important spiritual centre associated with Lord Ram and believed to be the meeting place of Lord Parashuram.

In another major announcement, the Railway Minister promised a new express train connecting Purvanchal with the national capital through the northern Ganga corridor. According to the proposed route, the train will connect Chhapra, Ballia, Mau, Azamgarh, Shahganj, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Ghaziabad and Anand Vihar in Delhi. The proposed service is expected to provide a major connectivity boost to eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, regions from where large numbers of people travel regularly to Delhi for education, employment and business.

Vaishnaw said the new express train would be introduced soon and would address a long-standing demand of the people of Purvanchal for direct and improved rail connectivity with Delhi.

The Railway Minister also spoke about the historic transformation of the Indara–Dohrighat railway line. He said the metre gauge line was originally constructed in 1904 but remained neglected for decades. According to him, the gauge conversion work gained momentum only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The line has now been converted into broad gauge, bringing modern railway infrastructure and better train services to the region.

He recalled that Prime Minister Modi had flagged off train services on the newly converted broad gauge section in December 2023, marking a new chapter in railway development for eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Highlighting the scale of railway expansion in Uttar Pradesh, Vaishnaw said the railway budget allocation for the state stood at only ₹1,109 crore before 2014. After 2014, the allocation increased sharply to nearly ₹20,012 crore. He added that railway projects worth around ₹1.2 lakh crore are currently underway across Uttar Pradesh, making it one of the largest railway infrastructure development programmes in the country.

The Railway Minister also outlined several major rail infrastructure projects currently under construction in Uttar Pradesh. He said a major four-line railway corridor has been developed south of the Ganga along the Prayagraj–Kanpur–Agra–Delhi route. Similarly, another large four-line corridor is being developed north of the Ganga connecting Delhi through Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Sitapur, Gonda and Gorakhpur towards Bihar and the Northeast.

Among the key projects currently in progress are the 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 third line, Mathura–Jhansi third line, Agra Fort–Bandikui doubling, Chopan–Chunar doubling and Prayagraj–Manikpur third line.

Vaishnaw also informed that the historic Malviya Bridge in Varanasi is ageing and a new bridge is being constructed nearby across the Ganga near Namo Ghat. The upcoming structure will feature four railway lines on the lower deck and a six-lane highway on the upper deck. He said these infrastructure projects would completely transform Uttar Pradesh’s railway network and enable the operation of nearly 500 additional trains in the future.

Speaking about station redevelopment, the Railway Minister said 157 railway stations are being modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Uttar Pradesh. Work has already been completed at 28 stations, while redevelopment is underway at Mau, Ghazipur City and Dildarnagar stations in the Purvanchal region.

Vaishnaw further said that after the COVID-19 pandemic, around 58 new train services have been introduced in Uttar Pradesh while 568 existing services have been extended. He added that the state currently operates around 40 Amrit Bharat Express trains and 32 Vande Bharat services.

He also highlighted recent railway developments in eastern Uttar Pradesh, mentioning that the Anand Vihar–Mau train service started in February 2021, while new train services from Mau towards Mumbai began in December 2023.

The Minister additionally announced that underpasses at locations 14C, 25C and 27C would be constructed rapidly to improve safety and reduce congestion. He directed railway officials to ensure the projects are completed in record time.

Touching upon future high-speed rail development, Vaishnaw said the Union Budget this year included a Bullet Train Corridor for Uttar Pradesh. He said work on the ambitious project is progressing rapidly and shared proposed travel times under the corridor.

According to the proposed plan, travel time between Delhi and Agra would be reduced to 58 minutes, Delhi to Lucknow to 2 hours and 12 minutes, Delhi to Varanasi to 3 hours and 33 minutes, Delhi to Ayodhya to 2 hours and 47 minutes, Lucknow to Prayagraj to 48 minutes, Lucknow to Varanasi to 1 hour and 21 minutes, and Lucknow to Ayodhya to just 35 minutes.

Vaishnaw said the proposed bullet train network connecting Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna and Siliguri would strengthen connectivity with the northeastern states and contribute towards the vision of a developed Uttar Pradesh and a developed India. He assured that the future bullet train system would remain affordable for middle-class families and ordinary citizens while becoming a major pillar of India’s modern transport infrastructure.