One of the busiest railway stations, Ahmedabad still awaits direct connectivity to NE states

Ahmedabad Railway Station handles more than 300 trains every day and is considered the largest railway junction in western India. It’s one of India's busiest railway hubs, still lacks direct train connectivity to the capitals of several states, particularly in the North-East region.

Despite the Railway’s claim of connecting most parts of the country, passengers from Ahmedabad continue to face difficulties while travelling to these states.

Passengers travelling to North-Eastern states such as Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, and Sikkim often have to change two or three trains during their journey. In several cases, travelers must also cover long distances by road after reaching the nearest railway station because railway connectivity has not yet reached the state capitals.

According to passengers, the demand for direct train services has increased significantly in recent years. A growing number of people from Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat travel to North-Eastern states for business, education, employment, tourism and military service.

Despite this rising demand, no direct train services have been introduced from Ahmedabad to many of these destinations. Passengers have raised concerns that while major projects such as the bullet train corridor, Vande Bharat trains, and redevelopment of world class railway stations were given a priority, the basic requirement of direct train connectivity for ordinary passengers remains incomplete in many parts of the country.

Speaking on the issue, Ahmedabad Division Railway Public Relations Officer Ajay Solanki said that some North-Eastern states do not yet have complete railway networks. He said that railway line construction and expansion projects are currently underway in those regions. He further explained that for destinations where direct train services are not available from Ahmedabad, passengers can travel through Delhi, which has better rail connectivity with many North-Eastern locations.

The city has direct train services to major metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Lucknow and Patna. 

Travelers are now looking towards upcoming railway budgets and future train announcements, hoping for direct connectivity between Ahmedabad and more state capitals, especially in the North-East.