Overview
- Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and MoS Jitin Prasada flagged off the extended service via video conferencing from Rail Bhawan on November 27.
- The train originally ran between Lakhimpur and Gorakhpur, was extended to Pilibhit a few months ago, and now continues to Izzatnagar in Bareilly.
- Railway officials say the extension will aid daily commuters, expand market access for agricultural and forest produce, and draw more tourists to the region.
- The move follows a series of gauge conversions in recent years, including Bareilly–Tanakpur, Pilibhit–Shahjahanpur, Lucknow–Pilibhit and Pilibhit–Bhojipura, completed between 2016 and 2024.
- Vaishnaw cited broader upgrades in Uttar Pradesh since 2014, including 5,272 km of new tracks, complete route electrification, 1,660 flyovers and underpasses, more premium services, and redevelopment of over 150 stations under the Amrit Bharat scheme.