Vaishnaw flags off Dohrighat-Aunrihar train, Varanasi extension soon
Synopsis
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Dohrighat-Aunrihar passenger train on 11 May and announced its imminent extension to Varanasi, alongside a new Delhi-bound express via the northern Ganga corridor. With ₹1.2 lakh crore in railway projects underway and a budget that has grown 18-fold since 2014, Uttar Pradesh is at the centre of India's most ambitious regional rail expansion.
Key Takeaways
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Dohrighat-Aunrihar passenger train on 11 May via video conferencing.
The service will soon be extended to Varanasi , benefiting commuters, students, traders, and pilgrims.
A new express train via the northern Ganga corridor will connect Purvanchal to Delhi's Anand Vihar through 12 stations .
UP's railway budget has grown from ₹1,109 crore in 2014 to approximately ₹20,012 crore ; projects worth ₹1.2 lakh crore are currently underway.
A new bridge near Namo Ghat, Varanasi will carry four rail lines and a six-lane highway , replacing the ageing Malviya Bridge .
The combined projects are projected to enable at least 500 new trains across Uttar Pradesh.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday, 11 May flagged off the Dohrighat-Aunrihar passenger train via video conferencing, announcing that the service will soon be extended to Varanasi — a move aimed at boosting rail connectivity and passenger convenience across the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh.
New Express Train for Delhi Connectivity
Responding to a long-standing demand for better connectivity between Purvanchal and the national capital, Vaishnaw announced that a new express train will soon be introduced through the northern Ganga corridor. The train will link Chhapra, Ballia, Mau, Azamgarh, Shahganj, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, and Anand Vihar in Delhi.
Who Benefits and How the Train Will Operate
Extending the Dohrighat-Aunrihar service to Varanasi will provide direct connectivity to the cultural and commercial hub, benefiting daily commuters, students, traders, and pilgrims, according to the minister. The train will operate with an eight-coach rake comprising passenger coaches designed for comfortable travel on the route.
A Century-Old Line Finally Converted
Vaishnaw highlighted that the Indara-Dohrighat metre gauge line, originally built in 1904, had waited over a century for gauge conversion. He stated that the conversion to broad gauge was taken up after 2014, when the current government accelerated long-pending railway projects — including gauge conversions, line doublings, and incomplete works — across the country.
Railway Budget Surge in Uttar Pradesh
The minister pointed out that the railway budget allocation for Uttar Pradesh stood at merely ₹1,109 crore in 2014, which has since grown to approximately ₹20,012 crore. Railway projects worth around ₹1.2 lakh crore are currently underway across the state — a scale described as unprecedented in its history.
Mega Infrastructure Projects Reshaping UP's Rail Map
Vaishnaw outlined several major projects underway in the state. South of the Ganga, a four-line corridor has been developed along the Prayagraj-Kanpur-Agra-Delhi route. North of the Ganga, another four-line corridor is being developed connecting Delhi via Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Sitapur, Gonda, and Gorakhpur towards Bihar and the Northeast. Additionally, a new bridge is being constructed near Namo Ghat in Varanasi alongside the ageing Malviya Bridge, featuring four railway lines on the lower deck and a six-lane highway above. Vaishnaw said these projects would collectively enable the operation of at least 500 new trains and completely transform Uttar Pradesh's railway map.
Point of View
But the more telling metric will be project completion rates and actual train frequency improvements for ordinary commuters. The ₹1.2 lakh crore pipeline is impressive on paper; the Indara-Dohrighat line's century-long wait for gauge conversion is a reminder that announcements and delivery are not always synonymous. The real test for these corridors will be whether they reduce travel times and increase freight throughput — not just add track kilometres to a political scorecard.
NationPress
12 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dohrighat-Aunrihar train and where will it be extended?
The Dohrighat-Aunrihar is a passenger train flagged off by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on 11 May. It will soon be extended to Varanasi, providing direct rail access to the cultural and commercial hub for commuters, students, traders, and pilgrims in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
What is the new express train announced for Purvanchal to Delhi?
A new express train will be introduced via the northern Ganga corridor, connecting Chhapra, Ballia, Mau, Azamgarh, Shahganj, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, and Anand Vihar in Delhi. It addresses a long-standing demand for better Delhi connectivity from the Purvanchal region.
How much has Uttar Pradesh's railway budget grown since 2014?
The railway budget allocation for Uttar Pradesh has grown from ₹1,109 crore in 2014 to approximately ₹20,012 crore — an increase of roughly 18 times. Projects worth around ₹1.2 lakh crore are currently underway across the state.
What is the new bridge being built near Varanasi?
A new bridge is being constructed near Namo Ghat in Varanasi alongside the ageing Malviya Bridge over the Ganga. It will carry four railway lines on the lower deck and a six-lane highway on the upper deck.
What was the Indara-Dohrighat line and why is it significant?
The Indara-Dohrighat metre gauge line was originally built in 1904 and waited over a century for gauge conversion. It was converted to broad gauge after 2014, bringing upgraded rail facilities to eastern Uttar Pradesh as part of a broader push to complete long-pending railway projects.
