Railways expand services in Bihar with new Amrit Bharat, passenger trains

The new Amrit Bharat Express trains will run on the Darbhanga-Ajmer, Muzaffarpur-Hyderabad and Chhapra-Delhi routes.

Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday flagged off seven new trains from Bihar, including three Amrit Bharat Express services and four passenger trains, just months ahead of assembly elections in the state.

Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. (Sanjeev Verma/ HT Photo)

The new Amrit Bharat Express trains will run on the Darbhanga-Ajmer, Muzaffarpur-Hyderabad and Chhapra-Delhi routes.

“The focus of the government is on improving ease of living and travelling. These have been long-pending demands of the people from various parts of Bihar, which are getting fulfilled today,” Vaishnaw said on Monday.

In the past 16 months, the government has approved projects worth over ₹13,400 crore for Bihar. With elections around the corner, the series of announcements is likely to be closely watched in a state where railway connectivity remains a politically sensitive issue and a key concern for millions of daily passengers.

Officials said that these trains are equipped with features such as fire detection systems, sealed gangways and ergonomically designed seating. Four new passenger trains have also been introduced on the Jhajha-Danapur, Patna-Buxar, Nawada-Patna and Patna-Islampur routes.

The flag-off comes at a time when Bihar is witnessing significant railway investment. The budget allocation for 2025–26 has crossed ₹10,000 crore, a sharp increase from the average annual spending of about ₹1,100 crore between 2009 and 2014.

“Since 2014, nearly 1,900km of new lines have been laid in the state, while 559 flyovers and underpasses have been built. Railways said all lines in Bihar are now electrified,” a railways official said.

“Station redevelopment is also underway. Ninety-eight stations are being modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, with two inaugurated earlier this year. A total of ₹3,285 crore has been allocated for these projects,” he added.

Besides, to tackle rush, the Indian Railways, as part of the preparations for the festive season, has planned 12,000 special trains for Chhath and Diwali, up from 7,500 last year. More than 10,500 of these services have already been announced, with 150 unreserved trains on standby.