Amritsar, October 2
A long-pending demand of the Sikh community residing in and around Nainital was today met as the weekly Amritsar-Lal Kuan AC Express was flagged off by Raj Kumar Verka, Vice-Chairman, National SC/ST Commission today.

Nainital, also famous as Lake District of Uttarakhand, is about 25 km from Lal Kuan, one of its nagar panchayats.

In all, 120 passengers boarded the train on its maiden run. The train would reach its destination via Chandigarh. Thus, the holy city also got its second train link with the state capital.

The train has 18 coaches, including 13 AC 3-tier coaches, three AC chair car and two generator coaches. The fare will be Rs 850 and Rs 680 for AC 3-tier and chair car travel from Amritsar to Lal Kuan.

It will depart from Amritsar at 5.55 am every Wednesday. Halting at Chandigarh at 10.20 am, it will reach Lal Kuan at 8.50 pm. En route Lal Kuan, it will halt at Beas, Jalandhar City, Phagwara, Ludhiana, New Morinda, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Chandigarh, Ambala Cantt, Jagadhari, Saharanpur, Roorkee, Laksar, Nazibabad, Moradabad and Kashipur .

The train will leave Lal Kuan the same day at 11.15 pm, reach Chandigarh at 9 am the next day and Amritsar at 2.45 pm.

Hoshiarpur, October 2
Hoshiarpur district of Punjab has finally got a direct rail link with National Capital. Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Santosh Chaudhary flagged off the weekly Hoshiarpur-Delhi Express today. She said the weekly service would soon be made daily. Santosh travelled in the same train to Delhi.

The new rail link is likely to help local farmers tap Delhi and other markets, boost industry and tourism sectors and create more jobs for the youth.