In a major boost for the local farmers, the Deolali-Danapur Shetkari Samriddhi Kisan Railway has been approved to halt at Lasalgaon.

The Deolali-Danapur Kisan Railway, which was introduced after persistent demands from farmers, initially did not have a halt at Lasalgaon station, depriving local farmers of its benefits.

Nashik district, known as the "Onion Capital" of India, sees the highest onion turnover from Lasalgaon. Recognising this, former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal had written to the General Manager of Central Railway, urging approval for a commercial halt at Lasalgaon to enhance offshore market access for the Nashik onion belt in Yeola constituency. Following this request, the train has now been granted a stop at Lasalgaon.

Of the 2,364 Kisan Rail services operated by Indian Railways, 1,842 (78%) have originated from the Nashik district. Between January 2021 and May 2022, a total of 440 (1.5 LMT) onion consignments were transported from Nagarsol, 100 from Yeola, and 100 from Lasalgaon. These onions were transported to Chitpur, Fatuha, Agartala, Naugachia, Chhapra, Baihata, Dhupguri, Sankrel, Dankuni, Gaur Malda, Guwahati, New Jalpaiguri, and Adarsh Nagar Delhi. Additionally, Central Railway transported 1.262 lakh tonnes of onions to Bangladesh in 55 goods trains between May and July 10, 2020, with most of the exports originating from the Yeola constituency, boosting farmers' competitiveness in the international market.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited Nashik last year, as the chief guest at the 40th Foundation Day Parade of the RPF at the RPF Zonal Training Centre on Oct 4, 2024. During his interaction with Nashik farmers, they demanded a dedicated train service for seamless transportation of agricultural produce. As a result, the Deolali-Danapur Shetkari Samruddhi Kisan Railway was launched on Oct 14, 2024. However, as the train did not stop at Lasalgaon, a substantial portion of onion traffic was being bypassed.

In response, Bhujbal once again demanded urgent intervention for a commercial halt at Lasalgaon to expand offshore market opportunities for farmers. With the positive response to this demand, the new halt at Lasalgaon is set to greatly benefit local farmers, enhancing their access to both domestic and international markets.