Railways Approves Rs 976 Crore Multitracking in Bihar

In the first year of operation the upgraded section is expected to accommodate 22 additional passenger trains and 18 additional freight trains every day. It will also enable the handling of an extra 5.2 million tonnes of freight traffic per annum.

The work forms part of the quadrupling initiative on the Delhi–Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction–Patna–Kiul–Bhagalpur–Khanna–Howrah route, which has been identified under the Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor of Indian Railways. The strengthened section is also vital for the upcoming 2,120 MW thermal power plant at Chausa in Buxar district, which will rely on rail movement of bulk inputs.

The sanctioned project comprises three components: third and fourth lines between Danapur and Patna; a third line between Rajendra Nagar and Patna Saheb; and third and fourth lines between Patna Saheb and Fatuha. The additional lines are intended to ease congestion, minimise delays and improve punctuality across the Patna region.

According to the ministry, Indian Railways is undertaking a wider expansion, with the government having approved a total investment of Rs 1.53 lakh crore across 100 new projects in 2025-26 covering more than 6,000 kilometres of network. Compared with FY 2024-25, when 64 projects worth Rs 72,869 crore covering over 2,800 kilometres were cleared, project approvals have risen by 56 per cent, route coverage by more than 114 per cent and financial commitment by over 110 per cent.

The Danapur-Fatuha multitracking is expected to deliver immediate capacity gains on a critical corridor while supporting longer-term industrial and energy requirements in Bihar.