Saran/Patna:Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the chief minister Samrat Choudhary are set to flag off the new 12527/12528 Chapra-Anand Vihar Terminal Weekly Express from Chapra Junction on Friday.
The service is expected to improve connectivity between Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, offering an additional direct travel option for passengers from Saran, Mau and adjoining districts.
The launch will also include the inauguration of the Mau-Anand Vihar Express and the extension of the Dohrighat-Aunrihar MEMU service up to Varanasi.
Schedule of the new Chapra-Anand Vihar service
According to railway officials, train 12527 will depart from Chhapra every Sunday at 8.50pm and reach Anand Vihar Terminal at 2pm the following day.
The return service, 12528, will leave Anand Vihar every Monday at 4.25pm and arrive in Chapra at 9.40am the next day.
The weekly Express will halt at key stations including Ballia, Mau, Azamgarh, Shahganj, Jaunpur, Sultanpur, Lucknow, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad.
Mau-Anand Vihar Express also launched
Railways will also introduce the 14055/14056 Mau-Anand Vihar Terminal Express, aimed at improving long-distance connectivity for passengers in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Train 14055 will depart Mau every Thursday at 10.30am and reach Anand Vihar at 3am the next day.
The return train 14056 will leave Anand Vihar every Wednesday at 3pm and arrive in Mau at 5.45am the following day.
The route will cover stations including Muhammadabad, Azamgarh, Shahganj, Jaunpur, Janghai, Prayagraj and Kanpur Central.
MEMU service extended to Varanasi City
Railways have also extended the 65121/65122 Dohrighat-Aunrihar MEMU service up to Varanasi City.
Officials said the extension would improve daily commuting for students, office-goers, traders and pilgrims. The demand for the route expansion had been pending for some time.
Senior leaders and officials to attend launch
The inauguration ceremony at Chapra Junction will be attended by local MPs, MLAs and senior railway officials, including Northeast Railway general manager Uday Borwankar and the Varanasi divisional railway manager.
Later in the day, Vaishnaw and Choudhary are also expected to attend an event at the Marhaura locomotive factory, where the 51st locomotive meant for export to Guinea will be flagged off.
Expected impact on regional mobility
The railway ministry said the new and extended services are expected to benefit a large number of passengers travelling to Delhi for employment, education, medical treatment and trade.
Officials said improved connectivity could also support local economic activity by easing travel for farmers, traders, students and tourists across the region.
