UP CM Yogi inaugurates first broad gauge train service from Nepalgunj Road station

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today flagged off the first broad gauge train service from Nepalgunj Road railway station near the India-Nepal border in Bahraich district. The train bound for Varanasi was officially launched by the Chief Minister along with local MPs Dr Anand Gaud and Jagdambika Pal, while Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw joined the ceremony through video conferencing and also showed the green flag.

The new rail service is expected to benefit millions of people from Bahraich and surrounding districts of Uttar Pradesh as well as neighbouring Nepal. Officials said the connectivity will prove a boon for travellers and workers from Nepal who migrate to distant regions of India for employment. The service is also anticipated to boost cross-border trade opportunities and provide traders from both nations easier movement and access to commercial facilities.

Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Minister Adityanath emphasized that India and Nepal share not only commercial ties but familial bonds, and this railway service will strengthen connectivity between the two countries. He noted that workers travelling from Nepal to remote areas will particularly benefit from this development.

Railway Minister Vaishnaw highlighted that broad gauge networks are being expanded across the country, with meter gauge tracks being converted systematically. He stressed that railways in India serve not merely as a means of transport but play a vital role from a commercial perspective as well.

Local traders welcomed the initiative as a historic moment, calling it a big gift from the central government. They expressed that they had never imagined rail connectivity would reach the Nepal border, and emphasized that the service would save both time and money, which were previously spent heavily on other modes of transport to reach distant locations. MP Dr Anand Gaud stated this is just the beginning, with more services to other remote areas planned with central government support.