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New Delhi : Indian Railways launched 9 ‘Sewa Service’ Trains on October 15, 2019, to connect smaller towns around major cities. These services were launched by Railways and Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal along with Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan, and Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, from New Delhi, by inaugurating Delhi-Shamli passenger train.
Other trains were flagged off through video-conferencing connected to the terminal stations where these trains are to start. Minister of State for Railways Suresh C Angadi, MP, Lok Sabha, MeenakshiLekhi, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
Of the nine ‘Sewa Service’ trains in eight states, four trains will run on a daily basis and other five, 6 days a week.
- Vadnagar – Mahesana DEMU (6 days a week) – Gujarat
- Asarva –Himmatnagar DEMU (6 days a week)- Gujarat
- Karur – Salem DEMU (6 days a week) Tamil Nadu
- Coimbatore – Pollachi Passenger (6 days a week)- Tamil Nadu
- Coimbatore – Palani Passenger (Daily)- Tamil Nadu
- Yesvantpur – Tumkur DEMU (6 days a week) – Karnataka
- Murkongselek – Dibrugarh Passenger (Daily) – Assam
- Bhubaneswar – Nayagarh Express (Daily) – Assam
- Delhi – Shamli Passenger (Daily)
Speaking on the occasion, Goyal said that these trains will provide connectivity to the far-flung areas where stoppages of premiere trains was not possible. These trains will act as link trains to serve the common man of the country. The Minister recalled the connect of Mahatma Gandhi to the Railways. Remembering Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, on the occasion of his birth anniversary today, Goyal said that the former President during his childhood in Rameswaram had memorable experience with Indian Railways.
Goyal pointed out that it is a unique concept to start these 9 Sewa trains with layover/ spare rakes as a part of ‘sweating of assets’ initiative by the Indian Railways. This was part of strategies of Indian Railways to have better utilisation of the rolling stock without any requisition for new rolling stock. ” On this occasion, I want to thank Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for his vision to transform Railways as the engine of growth in the economic and social development of the country,” Goyal said, according to a PIB release.
He further added that Railways has taken transformational steps like Cleanliness campaign on Railway premises across the country, Wi-Fi facility at 5,000 Railway stations, installation of Bio toilets in coaches to clean the tracks, and Ayushmann Bharat facility in Railway hospitals across the country.
Pradhan expressed his gratitude to Piyush Goyal and Ministry of Railways for starting a new Sewa Train from Bhubaneswar to Nayagarh. He also appreciated the significant steps taken by Railways for the development in Odisha. Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the new Sewa Trains will connect small stations enroute. These trains will be highly beneficial to the common people especially those who come to metro cities for jobs and education.
These trains will run on the “Hub and Spoke” Model, thereby facilitating passengers to use these trains to reach the “Hub” for availing onward journey to other major stations.