Ujjain, March 17: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced a train service to be called Mahakal Express between Varanasi and here, connecting two of the major 'jyotirlingas' of the country. The minister, however, did not give operational details of the new service.

Goyal, along with Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, also launched a project to convert the tracks between Fatehabad and Ujjain to broad gauge.

Responding to various demands, Goyal announced that the Bhagatgarh Kothi train would halt at Vikramgarh and Alot, the Jodhpur-Indore Ranthambore Express at Mahidpur and the Indore-Bhopal Intercity Express at Kalapipal.

He told the gathering that the Mhow-Ratlam passenger train would run with 12 coaches instead of eight. A passenger reservation centre would be opened at Agar and the Gwalior-Bhind-Indore train, on the request of Mahajan, would be extended up to Ratlam, he said.

MP CM Chouhan thanked Goyal and said the announcements would give a new direction to the development of the state. Goyal also offered prayers at the famous Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain.