CM, Railway Minister flag off Ramnagar-Dehradun Express
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 18 Jul: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw jointly flagged off the Ramnagar-Dehradun Express through virtual mode on Saturday, formally inaugurating its regular operation. The train will run twice a week and is expected to provide a significant boost to connectivity between the Kumaon and Garhwal regions. The Union Railway Minister however expressed hope that this train service may be operated daily in near future if passenger numbers increase.
Describing the new rail service as an important milestone in Uttarakhand’s development journey, Dhami said it is not merely the addition of another train but a new lifeline of development, connectivity and opportunities between the Kumaon and Garhwal divisions.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ashwini Vaishnaw on behalf of the people of Uttarakhand for the new service, the CM said railway infrastructure is being rapidly expanded in Uttarakhand under the Prime Minister’s visionary leadership. He added that the Ramnagar-Dehradun service would pass through Kashipur, Roshanpur, Pipalsana, Moradabad, Najibabad and Haridwar and would establish direct and convenient rail connectivity between Kumaon and Garhwal and a large area of western Uttar Pradesh.
Chief Minister added that the train service would benefit passengers, students, traders, employees and tourists by providing safe, convenient and time-bound travel. The new train is also expected to strengthen economic, social and tourism linkages between the two major regions of Uttarakhand.
Dhami also observed that under the leadership of PM Mpdi, Indian Railways has entered a new era of modernisation, with unprecedented transformation in the fields of safety, speed, technological upgradation and passenger amenities. Modern ‘Made in India’ trains such as Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat have given a new identity to India’s technological capabilities and its commitment to self-reliance, he noted and added that the railways are also rapidly moving towards green and advanced technologies.
The CM reminded that the work on the ambitious Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway project is in its final phase under the guidance of the PM. The project would provide a new impetus to the social, economic, religious and tourism development of Uttarakhand, he said. The state has already received the gift of two Vande Bharat trains, while a record railway budget of Rs 4,769 crore has been allocated for infrastructure development in Uttarakhand during the Financial Year 2026-27. At present, railway projects worth around Rs 39,000 crore are in progress in the state, he reminded. Dhami said that coordinated efforts by the Central and State governments have accelerated development in Uttarakhand in the fields of roads, railways, health, education, digital connectivity and basic infrastructure. The efforts of the double-engine government has doubled the pace of development and that the state government is continuously working towards making Uttarakhand one of the leading States in the country, he said.
Ashwini Vaishnaw said that under the leadership of PM Modo, Indian Railways is emerging as a strong foundation for the all-round development of the country. The Central Government is continuously working to strengthen rail connectivity in Uttarakhand and new rail services would provide fresh momentum to the State’s economic development, tourism and public convenience, he said.
The Union Railway Minister expressed confidence that the Ramnagar-Dehradun Express would significantly strengthen regional connectivity and prove highly beneficial for the general public. He said the train would serve as a bridge between Garhwal and Kumaon. If passenger numbers increase, the service would be operated daily, he added.
Appreciating the efforts of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the expansion of railway infrastructure in Uttarakhand, Vaishnaw reminded that 20 major new or extended regular rail services had been introduced since 2023 to connect the State with different parts of the country. He said 11 railway stations in Uttarakhand are also being modernised. The Union Railway Minister thanked the Chief Minister for his continued cooperation and support in the expansion of railway infrastructure in the State.
It may be pertinent to note here that the major new and extended regular rail services introduced since 2023 to connect Uttarakhand with different parts of the country include the Dehradun-Anand Vihar Terminal Vande Bharat Express, Dehradun-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express, Yog Nagari Rishikesh-Prayagraj Express, Yog Nagari Rishikesh-Malda Town Express, Yog Nagari Rishikesh-Yeshwantpur (Bengaluru) Express, Dehradun-Banaras Express, Dehradun-Subedarganj (Prayagraj) Express, Haridwar-Gorakhpur Express, Haridwar-Amritsar Express, the extended and strengthened Tanakpur-Delhi Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi service, the extended Lal Kuan-Rajkot Express, Lal Kuan-Kolkata Express, Kathgodam-Jaisalmer Express, the extended Kathgodam-Mumbai (Bandra Terminus) Express, the improved and extended Dehradun-Kota Express, the Haridwar-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus service, which was subsequently brought into regular operation, the Lal Kuan-Kishanganj service moving towards regular operation after being introduced as a special service, and other seasonal and special services from Uttarakhand to different States that were subsequently incorporated into the regular railway network. The Tanakpur-Nanded weekly Express and the newly introduced Ramnagar-Dehradun Express are also among the services strengthening Uttarakhand’s rail connectivity with different parts of the country.
Haridwar MP Trivendra Singh Rawat, Garhwal MP Anil Baluni, MLAs Diwan Singh Bisht and Arvind Pandey and railway officials were among those present virtually on the occasion.
