Kirti Jha Azad, Member of Parliament from the Burdwan-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency and former cricketer, has proposed introducing a direct superfast train service such as the Vande Bharat Express between the Asansol-Durgapur industrial belt and the pilgrimage city of Varanasi.
Speaking to The Statesman, Mr Azad said he would shortly meet Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to submit a formal proposal aimed at improving direct rail connectivity between the state’s industrial heartland and one of the country’s most important religious centres.
He said he had received several requests from local residents, chambers of commerce and other stakeholders seeking a direct rail link between the Asansol-Durgapur industrial belt and Varanasi.
“I have already prepared a letter in this regard and will meet railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw soon. I will also raise the issue on the floor of Parliament,” Mr Azad said.
At present, the Asansol-Durgapur industrial region is directly connected by Vande Bharat Express services to pilgrimage centres such as Gaya and Deoghar. Earlier, appeals had also been made to start direct flight services between Durgapur and Varanasi, in addition to a direct Vande Bharat rail link.
India’s leading domestic low-cost carrier, IndiGo, has already started direct flight services between Durgapur’s Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport at Andal and Varanasi from October this year. These flights operate three days a week ~ on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Mr Azad’s proposal suggests either extending the Howrah-Gaya Vande Bharat Express up to Varanasi station, or extending the Varanasi-Jasidih service further up to Durgapur. This, he said, would significantly improve rail connectivity between the industrial region and some of the country’s top pilgrimage destinations.
He stressed that better transport connectivity is essential for the economic and social development of the Asansol-Durgapur industrial belt. Improved rail and air links would ease travel and help boost tourism, trade and industrial growth, thereby changing the socio-economic landscape of what is often referred to as the “Ruhr of India”.
Mr Azad also noted that Varanasi is a major religious, cultural and tourist hub, and direct connectivity would benefit pilgrims, tourists, students and business travellers from the densely populated Asansol-Durgapur region, and vice versa.
He further pointed out that the Union coal ministry is setting up a Coal Heritage Museum at a cost of Rs 6 crore, along with the country’s first coal mines tourism destination and an ecological park near Jhanjra, close to Durgapur.
Emphasising the importance of infrastructure development for balanced regional growth, the MP said he would continue to pursue the matter seriously at the central level. Currently, it takes around eight hours to reach Varanasi by road from Asansol via national highway 19.
“Many people regularly travel to Varanasi from the industrial belt by air and road. A Vande Bharat Express service would make the journey cheaper, smoother and more convenient,” Mr Azad added.