NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Railways has approved the construction of a new railway station, named "Khatu Shyam Sundrapura", in Rajasthan's Sikar district to improve connectivity to the Khatu Shyam Temple.
A senior railway official said construction is expected to begin by the end of this year or early 2027, with the station likely to be completed by 2029. The station will be located around 11 km from the temple. The Rajasthan government is providing land for the project.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently approved the proposal during his visit to Rajasthan, considering the need for better rail connectivity to the temple, a major pilgrimage centre in North India.
Speaking to this newspaper, a senior official said the station's design, reflecting the religious grandeur of Khatu Shyam, has already been prepared. He added that passengers would be able to view an idol of Khatu Shyam installed at the station's front entrance.
“The land is available in required number near the site at Sikar which is on the dingle line railway track connecting from Jaipur. The station will have all modern amenities and magnificent architectural designs with a capacity of handling even heavy rush of devotees of Khatu- Shayam”.
At present, devotees travelling by train to the temple have to get down at Reengas railway station and travel about 19 km by road. Once the new station becomes operational, the distance will reduce to around 11 km, cutting travel time to about 10-15 minutes.