New Jaisalmer-Delhi train flagged off; will cater to region’s defence establishment, says Minister

A new Jaisalmer-Delhi express train service was launched on Saturday (November 29, 2025), aiming to improve civilian access and support strategic mobility in the frontier region.

The train, flagged off from Jaisalmer by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, will operate as the Swarn Nagari Express.

The announcement comes amid the Centre’s broader plan to strengthen transport links across Rajasthan’s border districts, which have long faced limited rail options despite high military presence and growing tourism, an official statement said.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Vaishnaw said the service would cater to both civilian passengers and the region’s sizeable defence establishment.

Mr. Vaishnaw said projects worth ₹55,000 crore are under implementation in Rajasthan.

He said work on several new lines, including the corridor connecting Anupgarh-Barmer, is progressing through “different technical stages”, adding that improved rail access in these districts has strategic relevance.

The Minister noted that Rajasthan has seen “a sharp rise in railway allocations over the past decade”, enabling the rollout of new services, track renewal work and station redevelopment.

Jaisalmer station, recently upgraded at Rs 140 crore, is among 85 stations being modernised in the state at a total cost of ₹4,000 crore, he said.

“Railway development has gained unprecedented momentum under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance. Rajasthan, before 2014, received only Rs 680 crore annually, today, the allocation is close to ₹10,000 crore,” Mr. Vaishnaw said.

Mr. Shekhawat, who also holds the Tourism portfolio, said the new daily link to the national capital would also benefit the local tourism economy, with Jaisalmer emerging as a major winter destination.

“Better connectivity directly impacts visitor footfall,” he said, adding that industry stakeholders had long demanded an additional Delhi-bound service.

Local MPs, MLAs, defence personnel, BSF and Air Force members, schoolchildren and representatives of civil society attended the ceremony, the statement said.

According to railway officials, work on a second entry gate at Jaisalmer railway station and expansion of the coaching depot will be taken up to support additional services in the future.

Before departing, the ministers inspected key redevelopment facilities at the station, including the concourse area, arrival and departure plazas and building management rooms, they added.