Railways approves Vande Bharat Express halt at Punjab's Nangal Dam station

The Union Ministry of Railways has approved a halt for the Amb-Delhi Vande Bharat Express at Nangal Dam railway station, accepting a long-pending demand raised by residents of the area.

The decision was conveyed by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a letter addressed to BJP state vice-president Subhash Sharma.

In the letter, the minister informed Sharma that the Railways had accepted his representation seeking a scheduled stop for the Vande Bharat Express at Nangal Dam railway station.

Releasing the minister's letter to the media on Wednesday, Sharma described the approval as a landmark decision for the region and thanked Vaishnaw for responding positively to the long-standing public demand.

He said the halt had been sought for years by residents of Nangal and adjoining areas, who had repeatedly urged the Railways to improve connectivity with the national capital through the country's premier semi-high-speed train service.

Sharma said the station serves thousands of passengers, including employees, students, traders, pilgrims and tourists from the Nangal-Anandpur Sahib belt as well as neighbouring areas of Himachal Pradesh.

He said the Vande Bharat halt would substantially improve travel convenience for commuters while strengthening connectivity for business, tourism and pilgrimage.

The decision, he added, would also provide faster and more comfortable rail access to Delhi for residents of the region. The Amb-Delhi Vande Bharat Express has emerged as one of the fastest rail links between Himachal Pradesh and the national capital.

The Railways is expected to notify the operational date and revised timetable incorporating the Nangal Dam halt shortly, Sharma said.