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The Mumbai-bound Pushpak Express will begin operating from Gomti Nagar railway station instead of Lucknow Junction from January 26. Under the revised schedule, the train will depart Gomti Nagar daily at 8:45 pm, halt at Badshahnagar at 8:55 pm for five minutes, and then run directly to Unnao, reaching there at 10:20 pm.
However, the decision to exclude Aishbagh station from the train’s stoppage list has triggered concern among passengers across large parts of the city. With just a week left for the change to come into effect, the railway administration has yet to take a final call on providing a five-minute halt at Aishbagh, an important junction for commuters from Raebareli Road, Kanpur Road, Para, Rajajipuram Chowk, Cantt and adjoining areas.
The issue has also drawn political attention. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Samajwadi Party MLA Ravidas Mehrotra have written to the railways, urging that the Pushpak Express be given a stop at Aishbagh station. Despite this, no decision has been announced so far.
The Pushpak Express, which has been operating from Lucknow Junction since April 1, 1987, is among two trains, along with the Lucknow Junction-Chhapra Express, being shifted to Gomti Nagar as part of the railway’s plan to develop the station into a world-class facility. At the time the Pushpak Express was introduced, both metre gauge and broad gauge trains operated from Lucknow Junction’s five platforms.
Passengers have questioned the logic of providing a halt at Badshahnagar, which is located close to Gomti Nagar, while skipping Aishbagh, a major station that serves a wider population. The absence of a stop at Aishbagh is expected to force commuters to travel longer distances to Gomti Nagar or face traffic congestion at Badshahnagar.
Meanwhile, the Lucknow Division of North Eastern Railway has forwarded a proposal to the zonal headquarters seeking approval for a halt for the Pushpak Express at Aishbagh station. A final decision on the matter is still awaited.