Union Minister for Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Shri Suvendu Adhikari flagged off the Jaipur (Khatipura)–Tatanagar–Santragachi Express train today. Shri Vaishnaw participated in the programme through video conferencing.
Shri Dilip Ghosh, Minister, Government of West Bengal; Shri Sunil Kothari, Mayor; Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato, Member of Parliament; and Smt. Manju Sharma, Member of Parliament, along with other public representatives and dignitaries, were present at the programme.
The Minister of Railways, Shri Vaishnaw said that the new train service connecting Jaipur with Jamshedpur and Kolkata would improve rail connectivity between Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The Railway Minister added that the new service would benefit migrant workers residing in Rajasthan, business communities, students and other passengers travelling between different regions.
Highlighting the development of Railways in Jharkhand, Shri Vaishnaw said that the railway budget allocation for the state has increased from ₹450 crore to ₹7,500 crore, which is approximately 16 times the earlier allocation. He added the projects worth approximately ₹75,000 crore are underway in the state. He also stated that 57 stations in Jharkhand are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Work has been completed at several stations, including Godda, Govindpur Road, Lohardaga, Madhupur and Muri.
The Railway Minister said that redevelopment work under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is underway across the country, with more than 1,300 stations taken up for development. Several stations in West Bengal, including Santragachi, Jalpaiguri Road, Joychandi Pahar, Haldia and Kamakhyaguri, are also being redeveloped.
Shri Vaishnaw said that railway development is being undertaken keeping in mind the needs of middle-class and economically weaker families, for whom Railways is a major means of affordable transport. He emphasised that station redevelopment and improved connectivity would benefit passengers across all income groups.
Shri Vaishnaw said that the work of expanding the railway line connecting Howrah, Kharagpur, Chakulia and Tatanagar to four lines is underway. The Railway Minister also stated that the 4.5-kilometre-long section connected to the Beleghata-IT Centre of Kolkata Metro has been completed and trial runs have commenced on it. He said that this section would provide connectivity with the Green Line.
Chief Minister of West Bengal, Shri Suvendu Adhikari expressed his gratitude to Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw during the programme for the railway infrastructure projects being undertaken in the state.
Referring to the increase in railway budget allocation for West Bengal, Shri Adhikari said that the annual average allocation during 2009-2014 was ₹4,380 crore, which has increased to ₹14,205 crore for 2026-27. He said that the increased investment would help in the development of railway infrastructure and improvement of connectivity in the state.
Dharmendra Tewari/ Dr. Nayan Solanki/ Vanshita Jaiswal/ Vikas Jha