Raipur: Members of Parliament from Chhattisgarh held a high-level meeting with railway officials at the Raipur DRM Office to discuss the expansion of rail services, faster completion of infrastructure projects, and the introduction of new trains, including Vande Bharat services.
The meeting was attended by the General Manager of South East Central Railway, Tarun Prakash, along with Divisional Railway Manager Dayanand, senior officers from the Bilaspur headquarters, and officials of the Raipur Railway Division.
Among the MPs present were Raipur MP Brijkishore Agrawal, Bastar MP Mahesh Kashyap, Kanker MP Bhojraj Nag, and Mahasamund MP Roop Kumari Choudhary.
Demand for New Vande Bharat Trains
The MPs urged railway officials to start new train services on key routes and expedite ongoing railway projects. A major focus of the discussion was the demand for new Vande Bharat Express services. Brijkishore Agrawal strongly pressed officials to prepare concrete proposals and forward them to the Railway Board without delay.
He emphasized that MPs were willing to take up the matter at the Board and government level but stressed that officials must submit formal proposals instead of citing procedural limitations.
Instructions to Convert Suggestions Into Proposals
Agrawal said MPs had issued clear instructions that all demands raised in the meeting should be converted into written proposals and sent to higher authorities. He added that discussions covered rail connectivity for Raipur, Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Jagdalpur, and the Rowghat rail line.
Officials informed the MPs that redevelopment work at Raipur and Durg railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is expected to be completed by December 2027.
The meeting also discussed the construction of underpasses at Kachna, Jora, Pirda, and Mandi Gate in Raipur, as well as an overbridge at Mandir Hasaud to ease traffic congestion.
Push for More Frequent Train Services
The MPs demanded that the Rajdhani Express be operated daily. Proposals were also made for a sleeper-coach Vande Bharat service between Raipur and Delhi, a new Vande Bharat train from Bilaspur–Raipur to Puri, and increasing the frequency of trains connecting Raipur to Jodhpur and Jaipur.
A new Vande Bharat service from Durg–Raipur to Ambikapur was also proposed. MPs further asked for the restoration of train stoppages that were discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly at smaller stations.
Focus on Rowghat Rail Line and Regional Connectivity
Bastar MP Mahesh Kashyap stressed the need for early completion of the Rowghat–Jagdalpur rail line. Kanker MP Bhojraj Nag demanded the extension of existing train services beyond Bhanupratappur and the introduction of passenger services in the region.
Mahasamund MP Roop Kumari Choudhary proposed extending rail connectivity from Dhamtari to Jagdalpur via Kanker and Kondagaon and linking Basna, Saraipali, and Pithora with Odisha’s Bargarh district.
The MPs concluded the meeting by directing railway officials to submit all discussed proposals to the Railway Board, assuring continued follow-up at the national level to ensure timely implementation.