Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday flagged off the Jaipur (Khatipura)–Tatanagar–Santragachi Express. Vaishnaw joined the event through video conferencing.

The new train service will strengthen rail connectivity between Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, linking Jaipur with key destinations including Jamshedpur and Kolkata. According to the Railway Ministry, the service is expected to benefit migrant workers, business communities, students and other passengers travelling across these regions.

Highlighting railway infrastructure development in Jharkhand, Vaishnaw said the state's railway budget allocation has increased from Rs 450 crore to Rs 7,500 crore, while projects worth around Rs 75,000 crore are currently underway. As many as 57 stations in Jharkhand are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

The Railway Minister also said more than 1,300 stations across the country have been taken up for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Several stations in West Bengal, including Santragachi, Jalpaiguri Road, Joychandi Pahar, Haldia and Kamakhyaguri, are part of the programme.

Meanwhile, work is underway to expand the Howrah–Kharagpur–Chakulia–Tatanagar rail corridor to four lines. Vaishnaw also said the 4.5-km Kolkata Metro section connected to Beleghata-IT Centre has been completed and trial runs have commenced, with the stretch set to provide connectivity with the Green Line.

Adhikari said West Bengal's annual railway budget allocation has increased from an average of Rs 4,380 crore during 2009-14 to Rs 14,205 crore for 2026-27, with the higher investment expected to support infrastructure development and improved rail connectivity in the state.