Overview
- Indian Railways approved a new Amrit Bharat Express between Hadapsar in Pune and Varanasi, expanding direct links to North India.
- Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw relayed the decision in a letter to Union minister and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol.
- The service will originate at Hadapsar terminal to ease crowding at Pune Railway Station and provide a more direct run.
- The Pune–Jabalpur special becomes the Pune–Jabalpur Express with numbers 20161/20162, enabling year-round advance bookings and generally lower fares than special trains.
- Timetables and start dates have not been announced, and the new links are expected to aid pilgrims traveling to Kashi and Prayagraj once services begin.