Chief Minister and Railway Minister inaugurate Nepalganj Road (Rupaidiha)-Nanpara-Bahraich rail section and train service
CM Yogi and Railway Minister flag off special train to Varanasi
Country was repeatedly humiliated by organising Urs/fair in the name of Salar Masud, such events no longer take place: CM Yogi
We all stand with Nepal in this hour of grief, both countries share a cultural heritage: Chief Minister
Connectivity is important for the security, convenience and prosperity of border areas: CM
Bahraich, August 2026 : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Bahraich had once even been the center from where India was governed, but the region remained deprived of development even after Independence. He said that one thousand years ago, Maharaja Suheldev had defeated Salar Masud in Bahraich itself and freed India from foreign invaders, but even after Independence, Maharaja Suheldev was forgotten for decades. Urs and fairs were organised in the name of Salar Masud, repeatedly humiliating the country. "But today, no event is organised in the name of any foreign invader here. Instead, a grand memorial of Maharaja Suheldev has been completed."
On Monday, Chief Minister, along with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who joined the program virtually, inaugurated the Nepalganj Road (Rupaidiha)-Nanpara-Bahraich rail section and train service on it at a program organised in Bahraich. Both flagged off the special train to Varanasi.
Railway Minister announced that Bahraich-Nanpara-Nepalganj Road rail section would be connected to the broad gauge network. CM expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister and the Railway Minister for announcing four other trains. He stated that Railway Minister had ensured that railway broad gauge work on Bahraich-Nanpara-Nepalganj Road route, a 56-km rail section, was completed within the stipulated time at a cost of Rs 730 crore. The first train will run from Rupaidiha to Varanasi City, the abode of Baba Vishwanath.
Chief Minister said, "Bahraich, which had enhanced India's glorious saga, became deprived of development. Rail connectivity was almost non-existent and whatever connectivity existed was in the form of metre gauge (narrow gauge). Connectivity with friendly neighbouring country Nepal could also not be established. After Independence, railway lines at several places were converted from metre gauge to broad gauge. Several new trains, including the Shatabdi, were introduced, yet this section continued to remain metre gauge, a symbol of the narrow-minded thinking of those governments that considered it merely a border area and turned it into a synonym for backwardness. For them, this may have been the last region, but for us, this Rupaidiha-Bahraich-Nanpara region has been India's gateway. People of this region had been eagerly waiting for this day for decades. Generations passed, but this dream and resolve are being realised today."
CM said, "Rail services are going to strengthen connectivity here. Connectivity gives momentum. When momentum moves in a positive direction towards a destination, it becomes the basis of progress. This will further strengthen the cultural ties between India and Nepal. This connectivity is important not only for the security and convenience of the border region, but also for the prosperity of the entire region. It will boost trade, industries will come up, and tourism and agriculture will get a new dimension. It will provide access to Katarniaghat, one of the finest centres of eco-tourism. It will also help connect important religious centres such as Ayodhya, Varanasi and Gorakhpur. It will play a major role in the social and economic progress of the entire region, including Nepalganj Road, Nanpara, Babaganj, Matera, Risiya and Bahraich. A new railway line is being laid from Bahraich to Khalilabad. Under the new rail service, activities have also begun to connect Nepalganj Road through connectivity from Gorakhpur to Bahraich via Siddharthnagar, Shohratgarh and Balrampur. This will also advance the new possibilities of the region."
CM said, "The previous government used to nurture mafias in every district. Now, every district, including Bahraich, Balrampur, Gonda, Ambedkar Nagar, Basti, Ayodhya, Sultanpur and Siddharthnagar, has medical colleges. There is a hospital named after Balarak Rishi. An airport has been constructed in Shravasti. There was a time when every season brought the scourge of a disease like encephalitis to this region, in which innocent children used to die. The previous government used to call it an unknown disease and, by covering up the deaths of innocent children, tried to mislead the people. But after our government came to power, we neither turned our eyes away nor tried to mislead anyone. We eradicated the disease. Both mafia and encephalitis have been eliminated from Uttar Pradesh. Now, this season no longer brings concern for any parent."
CM said, "The works of double-engine government are visible on the ground. Now, no daughter or trader in Uttar Pradesh needs to be afraid of mafias. Under the chairmanship of PM Modi ji, the Union Cabinet has approved four-laning of the road connectivity from Lucknow to Bahraich. In the new India, road and rail connectivity is being developed in all directions. New rail services in the form of Rapid Rail, Namo Bharat, Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat are being developed and appear to be fulfilling the concept of a developed and self-reliant India."
Chief Minister said, "There was a time when we longed for railway lines in our region to be electrified, but today, almost all railway lines in India have been electrified. All of them have become broad gauge. When the track is wider, roads are wider, markets are bigger, opportunities are greater and then fulfilling resolutions does not take long. The connectivity being launched today will be known as the development saga of this double-engine government." CM expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister and Railway Minister for the transformation of railways in the country and Uttar Pradesh.
Before the program, everyone paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the massive disaster in Nepal. CM said, "Recently, hundreds of people in Nepal, India and several countries across the world had to become victims of natural disasters. I express my condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and assure the people of Nepal that we will all move forward together in times of happiness and sorrow. Under the leadership of PM Modi ji, Government of India took prompt decisions and steps to assist friendly neighbouring country Nepal. We do not have merely a political relationship, but also a shared cultural heritage. From Lord Pashupatinath to Kashi Vishwanath, from Gorkha to Gorakhpur and from Janakpur to Ayodhya, these places are remembered with reverence. We also visit each other's holy places and honour our shared heritage."
Bahraich MP Dr. Anand Gond, Domariyaganj MP Jagdambika Pal, MLAs Ram Niwas Verma, Subhash Tripathi, Anupama Jaiswal, Sureshwar Singh and Saroj Sonkar, Legislative Council Member Pragya Tripathi, former MP Akshayvar Lal Gond and others were present on the occasion.
