The Prime Minister’s constituency: Varanasi to New Delhi, daily

Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda announced a daily express train between New Delhi and Varanasi, the PM’s constituency. The two stations are at present connected by a Garib Rath, the Kashi Vishwanath Express and the Sivaganga Express and Varanasi had long been demanding a fourth train. A spokesperson for Northeastern Railway, of which Varanasi is a division, said the proposal had been forwarded by Northern Railway headquartered in New Delhi.

Varanasi will also have improved links with Ahmedabad, with the new, weekly Ahmedabad-Patna Express passing through it, as will the Chhapra-Lucknow Express. And the Buxar-Mughalsarai electric unit will be extended to Varanasi.

One demand from Varanasi that remains pending is from silk traders, for a train to Bangalore. “It would have helped our trade,” said Vaibhav Kapoor, a silk trader.