Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off three brand new trains on Monday, giving Indian Railways a fresh push in a single day. The three services are the Nanded-LTT Express connecting Nanded in Maharashtra with Mumbai's Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, the Nanded-Tanakpur Express linking Nanded with Tanakpur in Uttarakhand, and the Puri-Koraput Express running between Puri and Koraput in Odisha. Just hours later, the minister is also set to launch a fourth train, the Brahmapur-Surat (Udhna) Amrit Bharat Express, making Monday a landmark day with four new train services rolled out together, benefiting passengers across several states at once.
Nanded-LTT Express
The Nanded-LTT-Nanded Express, running between Nanded and Mumbai's Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, will directly benefit passengers across several districts of Maharashtra, including Nanded, Hingoli, Washim, Akola, Buldhana, Jalgaon, Nashik, Thane and Mumbai suburban. During its journey, the train will halt in both directions at Purna, Basmath, Hingoli Deccan, Washim, Akola, Malkapur, Bhusawal, Chalisgaon, Manmad, Nashik Road, Igatpuri and Kalyan stations, giving several smaller towns along the route direct rail access and sparing local commuters the trouble of repeatedly changing trains.
Nanded-Tanakpur Express
The second new service, the Nanded-Tanakpur-Nanded Express, will connect Nanded with Tanakpur and is expected to benefit travellers across four states, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Along its route, the train will stop in both directions at Pilibhit, Izzatnagar, Bareilly, Budaun, Kasganj, Mathura, Agra, Dholpur, Gwalior, Veerangana Lakshmibai Jhansi, Lalitpur, Bina, Rani Kamalapati Bhopal, Itarsi, Khandwa, Malkapur, Akola, Washim, Hingoli, Basmath and Purna. With such a long route and so many halts, this train is set to become a major direct link between north India and Maharashtra, easing journeys for pilgrims and working commuters alike.
Puri-Koraput Express
The third train, the Puri-Koraput-Puri Express, will run entirely within Odisha but carries real significance for the state's internal rail network. It will connect Odisha's coastal belt with the southern part of the state, strengthening connectivity within the state. The train will halt in both directions at several key stations including Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Angul, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Damanjodi and Lakshmipur Road, making travel between the coast and the interior considerably easier and faster than before.
Brahmapur-Udhna Amrit Bharat Express
After flagging off the first three trains, the Railway Minister is scheduled to launch a fourth service at around 4 pm, the new Amrit Bharat Express running between Brahmapur in Odisha and Udhna in Surat, Gujarat. Officials say the launch of this train will improve long-distance rail connectivity between southern Odisha and Gujarat. It will also give passengers travelling to western India a direct and convenient rail service, sparing them the need to change trains that many currently rely on to make the same journey.
