Thousands of people from Gopalganj who earn their living in Surat, Gujarat, have something to celebrate. The Varanasi rail division of North Eastern Railway has decided to stop the Surat-Thawe-Surat Tapti Ganga Express at Dighwa Dubauli railway station. Locals had been pressing for this halt for a long time, and after sustained efforts by local public representatives, the Rail Ministry has finally cleared it. The announcement has been met with visible enthusiasm across the region.
Who Benefits and Why
Large numbers of people from the Gopalganj and Baikunthpur belt regularly travel to Gujarat for work, business and other reasons. In particular, residents of Baikunthpur, Sidhwalia and nearby rural pockets have settled in Surat for the textile trade and jobs. These thousands of migrants, workers and traders will now have a direct means of travelling to and from Surat available close to their homes.
The Old Hassle
Until now, catching this important train meant local passengers had to either travel all the way to Thawe Junction or head to far-off stations such as Chhapra or Masrakh. This wasted their extra time, strained their pockets and caused considerable mental stress. The halt at Dighwa Dubauli puts an end to that inconvenience.
New Timetable at Dighwa Dubauli
According to the official notification issued by the railway administration, the halt has been granted on an experimental basis for now, with the train stopping for two minutes at the station. The schedule for both directions is as follows—
Surat to Thawe (19045 Up)
On scheduled days, the train departing from Surat will reach Dighwa Dubauli station at 19:20 in the evening and, after the two-minute halt, will move on towards Thawe Junction at 19:22.
Thawe to Surat (19046 Down)
On the return run, the train leaving Thawe will arrive at Dighwa Dubauli at 06:28 in the morning and, after stopping for two minutes, will depart at 06:30 for Surat via Masrakh Junction and Varanasi.
Economic and Social Impact
The biggest gain from this halt is expected to go to local textile traders and the workers toiling in Surat. With the train stopping at this station under the Varanasi rail division, passengers will save substantial time and money, and the move is also expected to give fresh momentum to the economic and social development of the entire area.
