The Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, informed the Lok Sabha in response to a question from MP Anurag Singh Thakur that the central government is prioritizing the expansion of railway infrastructure and the modernization of passenger facilities in Himachal Pradesh.
He stated that the Amb Andaura railway station has now become the main rail hub of Himachal, with 20 train services operating from there. This station connects Himachal to 13 states. Major train services available on this route include the Vande Bharat Express and Jan Shatabdi Express.
Additionally, he mentioned that the 70-kilometer-long Nangal Dam-Una-Daulatpur Chowk-Kartoli broad gauge railway section is fully operational. Meanwhile, the construction work for the 52-kilometer-long Kartoli-Talwara-Mukerian broad gauge railway section is progressing rapidly. Bridges, road over bridges, and road under bridges are being constructed as part of the project.
The Rail Minister stated that the Nangal Dam-Una-Daulatpur Chowk railway line is proving to be significant for the region. There has been a continuous increase in the number of passengers on this route. In the year 2023-24, 2.577 million passengers utilized this railway section, which is expected to rise to 3.056 million in 2024-25 and 3.187 million in 2025-26.