The Hazrat Nizamuddin–Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express made its first scheduled stop at Sawantwadi railway station in six years on Wednesday, receiving a warm welcome from local residents and members of the Konkan Railway Passengers’ Association. The halt, which had been withdrawn during the Covid-19 pandemic, has now been restored following years of efforts by passenger groups and public representatives. As the Rajdhani Express arrived at Sawantwadi station at 9.44 am, members of the Konkan Railway Passengers’ Association organised a traditional welcome ceremony. The celebrations included an aarti, prayers and the garlanding of the train. Bouquets were presented to both locomotive pilots in appreciation of their contribution to safe railway operations. Sweets were also distributed among passengers and local residents to mark the occasion. Halt restored after long campaign The Rajdhani Express and the Garib Rath Express had stopped halting at Sawantwadi during the Covid-19 pandemic because of operational and safety considerations. The withdrawal of these stops had caused inconvenience to passengers from the region, who had repeatedly demanded their restoration. According to Mihir Mathkar, Secretary of …