Vaishnaw Dedicates Rail Projects in Jaipur With Rajasthan, Bihar CMs
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday, 21 June 2026, joined Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary in Jaipur to dedicate a set of railway projects to the nation, including a new Amrit Bharat Express service and a major coaching terminal.
What Was Dedicated
The centrepiece of the event was the launch of the Jaipur (Khatiyapura)–Darbhanga Amrit Bharat Express, a new long-distance service linking Rajasthan and Bihar. The train is part of the Union government's Amrit Bharat Express programme, which introduced a new generation of inter-state services with upgraded passenger amenities, first announced in the Union Budget 2023-24.
Alongside the train launch, a Mega Coaching Terminal at Khatiyapura in Jaipur was also dedicated. The terminal is designed to significantly expand the city's capacity to originate and terminate trains, reducing pressure on the main Jaipur Junction. Enhanced passenger facilities at multiple railway stations were also unveiled as part of the same ceremony.
Policy Backdrop
The Amrit Bharat Express programme was conceived to modernise long-distance rail travel across India, with trains featuring improved seating, lighting, and onboard amenities compared to older rolling stock. The programme runs parallel to the Amrit Bharat Stations redevelopment scheme, launched in 2023, which covers over 1,300 stations nationwide, including Jaipur.
The Jaipur Railway Division, operating under North Western Railway, has been a focal point for infrastructure investment in recent years. The Khatiyapura terminal project is intended to decongest the existing coaching complex and create a dedicated hub for train maintenance and dispatch in the region.
Stakeholders and Impact
The Jaipur–Darbhanga corridor addresses a long-standing demand for direct rail connectivity between Rajasthan and Bihar, two states with significant migrant worker and student populations travelling between them. Passengers currently dependent on indirect or heavily booked routes stand to benefit from the new direct service.
The event also underscored the working relationship between the Union Railway Ministry and BJP-governed state administrations. The presence of both Chief Ministers at the dedication ceremony signals coordinated federal-state execution of centrally funded rail projects, a pattern that has become a visible feature of infrastructure rollouts since 2023.
What's Next
The Ministry of Railways is expected to announce further Amrit Bharat Express routes as the programme scales nationally. The commissioning of the Khatiyapura Mega Coaching Terminal will be watched as a benchmark for similar terminal projects planned in other major cities. Improved east-west rail links connecting northern and eastern India remain a stated priority for the ministry in the current phase of railway expansion.