Rail Push: Bihar’s Annual Rail Budget 10x Since 2014
26 Amrit Bharat Express Services Now Originate in Bihar
Patna: Bihar’s railway map received a boost today with the flagging off of seven new trains, including three Amrit Bharat Express services and four passenger trains, by Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. The development takes the total number of Amrit Bharat Express services across India to 30, with as many as 26 of them originating from Bihar — the highest for any state.
The newly flagged-off trains include the Darbhanga–Ajmer Amrit Bharat Express, Muzaffarpur–Hyderabad (Charlapalli) Amrit Bharat Express, and Chhapra–Delhi (Anand Vihar Terminal) Amrit Bharat Express. The Muzaffarpur–Charlapalli service is the first direct Amrit Bharat connection between Muzaffarpur and South India, while the Chhapra–Anand Vihar route marks the sixth such direct link to the national capital.
Complementing the Express services, four new passenger trains — Patna–Buxar, Jhajha–Danapur, Nawada–Patna, and Patna–Islampur — were also launched to improve intra-state connectivity. These services are aimed at meeting the daily travel needs of local passengers while decongesting existing routes.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony via video link, Vaishnaw called the move a “new dimension in Bihar’s connectivity” and said the pace of railway development was aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of “Viksit Bihar se Viksit Bharat.” He highlighted that the state’s annual railway budget had increased tenfold — from about ₹1,000 crore before 2014 to nearly ₹10,000 crore in 2025 — with projects worth around ₹1 lakh crore underway.
“The entire railway network of Bihar has now been fully electrified and 1,899 km of new track laid since 2014,” Vaishnaw said, adding that the new trains will not just make travel faster and safer but also spur tourism, trade, and employment. He underlined that Bihar was on course to become a “golden state” in the near future.
The Amrit Bharat Express trains represent a major leap in modernisation. These semi-high-speed, non-AC trains are equipped with semi-automatic couplers, fire detection systems, sealed gangways, and talk-back units, significantly enhancing passenger safety and comfort.
Officials noted that 13 Amrit Bharat Express trains — accounting for 26 services — now operate in Bihar, covering 42 stops across 25 districts. Additionally, 10 pairs of Vande Bharat services connect 28 districts, and the state has also introduced Namo Bharat Rapid Rail services.
Highlighting Bihar’s transformative rail journey since 2014, Vaishnaw listed 21 major projects already commissioned. These include the Patna and Munger Rail-cum-Road Bridges, the Kosi Bridge, and key new lines such as Daniawan–Biharsharif, Chandan–Banka, and Rajgir–Tilaiya. Large-scale gauge conversions like Mansi–Saharsa–Purnia and Jaynagar–Narkatiaganj have also been completed.
Several major projects are still under execution, including new lines on Sakri–Hasanpur, Khagaria–Kusheshwarsthan, and Chhapra–Muzaffarpur routes, as well as third- and fourth-line works across busy corridors such as Barauni–Bachhwara, Sonnagar–Andal, and Punarakh–Bakhtiyarpur. The Araria–Galgalhia (Thakurganj) new line is ready for inauguration.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary lauded the Centre’s commitment, saying these projects would “strengthen Bihar’s role as a logistics hub and generate large-scale employment opportunities.”
Railway officials stressed that these projects are designed not just for passenger convenience but also to make freight movement more efficient, supporting Bihar’s economic growth and aligning with the goal of inclusive national development.
– global bihari bureau
