Connectivity between two "Tier - 2" cities tends to lag behind the connectivity of a Tier-2 city to a big city. I understand the need for, lets say, JP and BCT to have good connectivity... but the connectivity/service between, say, JP and LKO/LJN (two Tier-2 cities) tends to lag far behind and needs attention.
Currently there is not even a single superfast train between JP and LKO/LJN. Marudhar Exp from JP reaches LKO at almost 3 am!! The JP - LJN Express from LKO reaches JP at almost 2 am!! No train connecting JP or LKO to BCT/CSTM would arrive at such hours... additionally, both Marudhar and JP - LJN spend an eternity at CNB (possibly because of trains to the...
more... big cities of NDLS and HWH )... additionally the JP - LJN Express has a 25 min halt at Achhnera (AH) for reversal of direction... while the JP - BCT Superfast manages a reversal of direction in 10 min at SWM.
Depending on which route the train takes, the distance between JP and LKO is on an average around 600 kms.. and if the train runs on time (extremely rare) it take about 12 hrs to complete the journey. Marudhar takes about 11 hrs (as per the schedule) and JP - LJN takes 13.5 hrs (has a longer route) and both trains are almost always late. It might not be a fair comparison... but 12955 JP - BCT Superfast travels almost twice the distance (1160 kms) in only 6 additional hours (17h 50min). It should also be noted that while both Jaipur and Lucknow have many flights to and from Mumbai, but there are no flights between the two Tier - 2 cities, making railway services even more important for connecting JP and LKO.
I have used JP and LKO as examples of two Tier - 2 cities here, but many such cases exist across the country. Improving connectivity between Tier - 2 cities is extremely important in my view for a better and more uniform development of the country... a handful of big cities should not, and cannot be burdened beyond a limit... that is not good for those cities, and for the country as a whole.