The Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, informed today that the train running from Una, Himachal Pradesh to Saharanpur will now be extended up to Haridwar.

Shri Anurag Thakur expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw ji for the abovementioned decision, stating that it will bring significant benefits to the residents of the region and enhance pilgrimage tourism.

Shri Anurag Thakur said, "As the representative of the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency and Himachal Pradesh, I am always actively engaged in the development of this area, and providing better connectivity facilities in Himachal Pradesh is my top priority. Haridwar is a major religious destination, and a large number of people from Himachal Pradesh visit Haridwar for pilgrimage. I personally met Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw ji and requested for such a provision so that the passengers of Himachal can go directly to Haridwar by train. I am delighted to inform you that the extension of Una Himachal-Saharanpur MEMU, which used to run from Una to Saharanpur, has been approved by the Railway Minister. This train will now run from Una to Haridwar, providing a great convenience to travellers. Therefore, I express my gratitude to Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw ji."

Shri Anurag Thakur stated, "Development is our top priority, and the Modi government has left no stone unturned in giving gifts to Una. Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji gave Himachal the gift of the country's fourth Vande Bharat train and Modi ji himself visited Una for its inauguration. It is because of BJP that the most modern train in India is now operational in Himachal Pradesh. The Modi government is diligently working towards the expansion of railway services and addressing any connectivity issues in Himachal Pradesh, from running new trains to developing necessary infrastructure. An amount of 1838 crore rupees has been approved for railway expansion in Himachal Pradesh for the financial year 2023-24. A sum of 1000 crore rupees has been allocated for the strategic importance Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Beri rail line, 450 crore rupees for the Chandigarh-Baddi rail line, and 452 crore rupees for the Nangal-Talwara rail line in the 2023-24 budget. This approval of 1838 crore rupees for railway expansion is 17 times more than that during the UPA government's tenure from 2009 to 2014. Currently, work is underway on four projects spanning 258 kilometers with an investment of 19556 crore rupees in the state."

Shri Anurag Thakur said, "For years, there has been a demand in the Gagret Assembly constituency of Una district in my parliamentary constituency for various infrastructural improvements. The approval for a 500-meter long double-lane bridge over the Loharli Khad, the inauguration of the Daulatpur Chowk railway station, electrification of the railway line up to Amb railway station and the expansion of the foot overbridge, approval for a second platform and foot overbridge at Una railway station, expansion of the old bridge, approval for new railway trains, along with stops for major trains, including the Churaru Takrala Ambala Cantt-Daulatpur Chowk Passenger Special Train and the Raimehatpur Saharanpur-Una Himachal Passenger Express, are significant gifts from the Modi government for the entire state of Himachal Pradesh."

Upon the recommendation of then Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal ji, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji announced an industrial package for Himachal Pradesh, which directly benefited the establishment of industries in the Una district.

Una district is the only district in Himachal Pradesh connected to the broad-gauge railway line. The first train reached Una in the year 1990.

Shri Anurag Thakur further said, "From 2014 to March 2019, the work on the Amb-Andaura, Chintpurni Marg, and Daulatpur Chowk railway stations was completed during the tenure of the Modi government. Today, a total of 13 trains connect this district to various parts of the country from Una and Amb Andaura railway stations. Sabarmati railway station also has daily train services from Una. The announcement of the Una-Hamirpur railway line was reiterated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Investor Meet held in Dharamshala in 2019. In fact, this railway line was considered economically and socially significant thrice, and steps were reiterated for its construction in the Lok Sabha rail budget presentations from 2014 to 2019. However, this announcement gained momentum when Prime Minister Modi ji, considering Himachal Pradesh as his second home, recognized the importance of this railway line and personally announced it and also directed the Railway Ministry to fulfil the pre-construction formalities to commence the construction to strengthen the state's economy."

 “This railway line will enhance religious and tourism activities in the state by connecting places like Maa Jwala Mukhi, Maa Chintpurni, Maa Brajeshwari, Maa Chamunda, etc., thereby contributing to the revenue of the state. Moreover, it will benefit the youth serving in the Indian Army and paramilitary forces from areas such as Sarkaghat and Dharampur tehsils in Hamirpur and Mandi districts respectively, as well as Palampur, Baijnath, Jaisinghpur tehsils in Kangra district by providing them with access to the nearest railway stations for travel."

The Himachal Pradesh government will contribute 1500 crore rupees and the Central government 4300 crore rupees for the construction of the Una-Hamirpur railway line.

“On February 17th, I obtained approval for the construction of a bridge over the Chakki River, which will expedite the restoration of rail service between Pathankot and Jogindernagar. Additionally, the rail track between Kangra and Nurpur will also be restored soon. I have also met with the Honorable Railway Minister to secure approval for this purpose.”

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Saurabh Singh