Bikaner, June 22 -- Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday outlined an ambitious expansion of rail infrastructure in Rajasthan's border districts while flagging off the new Bikaner (Lalgarh)-Ahmedabad (Sabarmati) Express, a daily service expected to strengthen passenger connectivity and trade links between Rajasthan and Gujarat. Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma attended the Jaipur inauguration, while Union minister of state for law and justice Arjun Ram Meghwal accompanied Vaishnaw at the Bikaner event. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at Bikaner railway station, Vaishnaw said, "The Railway Ministry is working on plans to strengthen rail connectivity across the frontier districts of Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Sri Ganganagar and Barmer by bringing more villages under the rail network. Detailed project reports and other preparatory processes for the proposed expansion arr underway." The minister's remarks come amid ongoing railway plans for western Rajasthan, including the proposed Anupgarh-Khajuwala, Khajuwala-Jaisalmer and Jaisalmer-Barmer-Bhiladi rail corridors, which are at various stages of surveys and planning. The projects are expected to improve connectivity in remote desert and border regions while enhancing logistical and transport infrastructure in areas adjoining the India-Pakistan border. The proposed projects are expected to provide rail access to several remote settlements in western Rajasthan that currently depend largely on road transport. Besides improving passenger connectivity, the corridors are expected to facilitate movement of agricultural produce, minerals and other goods from border districts while strengthening transport infrastructure in strategically important frontier areas. Vaishnaw also announced a series of projects concerning Bikaner. He said the redevelopment project for Bikaner railway station would be retendered this month after earlier efforts failed to move forward. The redevelopment is part of the Centre's broader programme to modernise railway stations across the country. He further announced that the railway line between Lalgarh and Bikaner station would be doubled to improve operational efficiency and train-handling capacity. The minister also referred to the proposed Nal-Palana rail bypass, saying the project would divert goods trains away from the city and help reduce traffic congestion, waiting time at railway crossings and pollution levels in urban areas. The event was attended by Rajasthan food and civil supplies minister Sumit Godara, Bikaner East MLA Siddhi Kumari, Khajuwala MLA Vishwanath Meghwal, Bikaner West MLA Jethanand Vyas, Sri Dungargarh MLA Tarachand Saraswat, and railway officials....