Amritsar-New Jalpaiguri Amrit Bharat train flagged off; Rs 502 crore railway station upgrade announced

PTC Web Desk: Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Thursday flagged off a new Amrit Bharat train from Amritsar Junction Railway Station to New Jalpaiguri Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat scheme.

During the event, the minister also announced a major redevelopment project worth Rs 502 crore for the modernisation of the Amritsar railway station and expansion of railway infrastructure.

Addressing the media, Bittu said Rs 402 crore would be spent on transforming the Amritsar railway station into a world-class facility equipped with modern passenger amenities and improved infrastructure. In addition, Rs 100 crore will be allocated for the construction of new railway platforms.

At present, the station has seven platforms, while plans are underway to construct five additional platforms to accommodate increasing passenger traffic. The project also includes the development of six loop lines aimed at reducing delays and ensuring smooth train operations during peak traffic movement.

The newly launched Amrit Bharat train will initially operate once a week and is expected to reach New Jalpaiguri after a journey of nearly 39 hours. The new rail service is expected to improve connectivity between Punjab, Darjeeling and the northeastern states of India.

The minister stated that the Amrit Bharat train offers facilities and safety features similar to those available in the Vande Bharat trains. He further added that the frequency of the train service could be increased to twice a week or more in the future depending on passenger demand and ridership.