In a significant push to rail connectivity between U.P. and Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (April 28, 2026) flagged off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains — Varanasi to Pune (Hadapsar) and Ayodhya to Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus).

For U.P., this development holds special significance as Varanasi and Ayodhya, being major spiritual destinations, attract millions of devotees annually, and an enhanced rail connectivity to metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Pune is expected to boost tourism, an official statement said.