Tuesday, 22 OCTOBER 2024 | PNS | LALKUAN
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that attempts will be made to facilitate expansion of rail connections to Varanasi, Ayodhya and other major cities from Uttarakhand. He said this after virtually flagging off the Lalkuan-Bandra Express from his camp office on Monday. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the development. Dhami said that the operation of this train will prove beneficial to those travelling to Rampur, Moradabad, Ghaziabad, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Mathura, Sawai Madhopur, Kota, Vadodara and Surat, among other destinations. The CM said that the start of this train will provide a convenient option to those wanting to visit Kainchi Dham, Jageshwar and other religious centres in the Kumaon region. The nation is moving ahead towards the golden era of the Indian Railway under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership with trains like the Vande Bharat Express, made in India exemplifying self-reliance and modernisation.
Dhami said, “Under PM Modi’s guidance and with the cooperation of the Central government, the dream of the railway reaching the mountains will be fulfilled with the completion of the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail project. The survey work for the Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line has been completed and work on this project will start soon. Attempts will be made to expand rail connection from Uttarakhand to Varanasi, Ayodhya and other major cities across the nation,” the CM said.
Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar MP Ajay Bhatt said that the public had been demanding a direct rail link from Lalkuan to Mumbai for a long time, which has been done now. The operation of this train will benefit people across the Kumaon region and also benefit people across India wanting to visit pilgrimage sites and tourist destinations in the Kumaon region. With the introduction of this train, three trains are departing for Mumbai from Kumaon region in a week- from Ramnagar, Haldwani and Lalkuan.
The train number 22544 flagged off on Monday departed from Lalkuan on 7:45 AM and after passing through Rudrapur City, Rampur, Moradabad, Ghaziabad, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Mathura, Kota, Vadodara and Surat, it will reach Bandra Terminus at 8:30 AM on Tuesday. The train will depart from Bandra at 11 AM on Tuesday and reach Lalkuan at 1:15 PM on the next day. The train comprises one II AC coach, two III AC coaches, three AC economy coaches, six sleeper class coaches and four general coaches.
Lalkuan MLA Mohan Singh Bisht, former MLA Navin Dumka and others were also present on the occasion.
