Lok Sabha Question No. 2944 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Train connectivity from Digha Railway Station
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Adhikari Soumendu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2944

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

## TRAIN CONNECTIVITY FROM DIGHA RAILWAY STATION

2944. SHRI ADHIKARI SOUMENDU:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  Government is extending railway connectivity passenger network across the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the  details  of  proposals  and  places  to  connect  Digha  Railway Station in West Bengal near future till 2030;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  proposal  to  connect  regular  passenger  train services  between  Digha-Bhubaneswar,  Digha-Asansol-Burdwan  and biweekly services of Digha-Puri therein; and
- (d)  whether the Government intends to review the said proposal and prepare a project investigation report for the benefits at large for the people and patients of Contai and other tourists/pilgrims and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (d) Indian Railways(IR) constantly endeavours to cater to the needs of passenger by introducing more trains on its network. Accordingly, to cater to the needs of passengers, IR, during 2025-26 (upto November, 2025), has  introduced  more  than  200  train  services  which  includes  28  Vande Bharat services, 26 Amrit Bharat Express and 02 Namo Bharat Rapid Rail. IR has also extended about 100 services during the same period.

Besides, in its constant endeavour to provide additional accommodation to travelling passengers,  IR also operates Special train services during festivals,  holidays,  etc.  to  cater  to  the  extra  needs  of  passengers  and supplement the accommodation available by regular services.  In addition to the above, the load of trains are also augmented, both on a permanent and temporary basis, to generate additional accommodation  for different segments of passengers.

Accordingly,  on  the  Indian  Railways(IR)  network,  during  Year  2025-26  (till November, 2025), about 60,000 special trains have been operated and more than 700 coaches have been utilized for augmentation of train services on a permanent basis.

Presently, Digha is served by 24  train services (listed below) which include 02  pairs  of  trains  viz.  22873/22874  Digha-Vishakapatnam  Express  and 22889/22890 Digha-Puri Express connecting it to Bhubaneswar and 01 pair of train viz. 22889/22890 Digha-Puri Express connecting it to Puri. Digha is connected  to  Kolkata  by  03  pairs  of  train  services  while  Kolkata  is connected to Bardhaman, Bhubaneswar and Puri by 75 pairs, 38 pairs  and 11 pairs of  Mail/Express services respectively.

|   SN | Train No. and Name                           |
|------|----------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 22890 Puri - Digha Express                   |
|    2 | 22874 Visakhapatnam - Digha Express          |
|    3 | 12857 Howrah - Digha Tamralipta Express      |
|    4 | 12858 Digha - Howrah Tamralipta Express      |
|    5 | 15722 New Jalpaiguri - Digha Paharia Express |
|    6 | 13506 Asansol - Digha Express                |
|    7 | 13505 Digha - Asansol Express                |
|    8 | 15721 Digha - New Jalpaiguri Paharia Express |
|    9 | 22889 Digha - Puri Express                   |

|   10 | 22873 Digha - Visakhapatnam Express   |
|------|---------------------------------------|
|   11 | 22897 Howrah - Digha Kandari Express  |
|   12 | 22898 Digha - Howrah Kandari Express  |
|   13 | 13418 Malda Town - Digha Express      |
|   14 | 13417 Digha - Malda Town Express      |
|   15 | 68114 Digha - Panskura EMU            |
|   16 | 68116 Digha - Panskura MEMU           |
|   17 | 08117 Panskura - Digha EMU Special    |
|   18 | 08118 Digha - Panskura EMU Special    |
|   19 | 68113 Mecheda - Digha EMU             |
|   20 | 68118 Digha - Mecheda EMU             |
|   21 | 68119 Panskura - Digha EMU            |
|   22 | 68120 Digha - Panskura EMU            |
|   23 | 68115 Panskura - Digha MEMU           |
|   24 | 68117 Panskura - Digha EMU            |

The 24 train services listed above, also serve Kanthi (Contai) station and provide connectivity to Digha, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Puri etc.

Besides, introduction of new train services on any route/section, which is an on-going process, depends on various factors which include:

- Capacity of that section
- Availability of path
- Availability of required rolling stock
- Availability of matching infrastructure for rolling stock
- Maintenance requirement of railway tracks and other asset

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