Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Swarnagiri Express, launched today between Jaisalmer and New Delhi (Shakur Basti), will better serve the needs of soldiers, foreign and domestic tourists, and traders from border areas and key historic towns of Rajasthan.
Addressing the flagging-off ceremony held at Jaisalmer railway station on Saturday, Vaishnaw said that given the strategic importance of the vast border belt and its cultural and tourism potential, the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has accorded high priority to rail connectivity and network expansion.
He said it is a matter of satisfaction that, keeping in view defence needs and strategic geopolitical considerations, the Railways is implementing several network-strengthening projects worth Rs 55,000 crore in the state’s border regions.
The new express service between the Golden City and the national capital will connect major towns en route, including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ramdeora, Makrana, Alwar, Rewari and Gurugram. This will provide smooth and comfortable travel for defence personnel, tourists and domestic traders.
The Minister, along with Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, flagged off the new train on its maiden run to Delhi.
The Lok Sabha MP from the Jaisalmer–Barmer constituency, Ummeda Ram Beniwal, MLAs from Barmer, Jaisalmer and Phalodi districts, as well as BSF officers and personnel, were present on the occasion.
The train will offer First AC and Second AC coaches, along with six AC 3-Tier coaches and four general coaches to cater to passengers from all segments. The train’s regular daily commercial run will begin on December 1.