Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flags off seven new trains in poll-bound Bihar 

Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union minister of railways, along with Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary, on Monday flagged off seven trains, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains, in poll-bound Bihar. With the flagging off of the new trains, a total of 26 out of 30 Amrit Bharat Express in operation run in Bihar.

The Amrit Bharat Express from Muzaffarpur to Telangana's Charlapalli is now the first Amrit Bharat Express connecting the Bihar city to south India, the ministry of railways said in a press note. The Chhapra to Anand Vihar Amrit Bharat Express has become the sixth Amrit Bharat train plying from Bihar to Delhi.

During the flagging-off ceremony via video conference, Vaishnaw mentioned that Bihar’s rapid development suggests the state is on track to become a prosperous region soon. These trains will enhance connectivity in Bihar, making travel easier for passengers and supporting the state’s overall growth.

The minister highlighted that since PM Modi took office in 2014, improving the railways has been a priority, especially in relation to the states. He mentioned that the annual railway budget for Bihar was only about ₹1,000 crore before 2014, but has now increased to roughly ₹10,000 crore. The minister emphasised PM Modi’s vision for Bihar’s development, with projects valued at around ₹1 lakh crore currently in progress. He also noted that Bihar’s railway network has been fully electrified, and 1,899 km of new track has been laid.

Vaishnaw stated that work continues on various other projects, with plans underway for more initiatives. Currently, Bihar has 13 Amrit Bharat Express trains, comprising 26 services that connect 42 stops across 25 districts. In addition, 10 pairs of Vande Bharat trains, totalling 20 services, operate in 28 districts. The state also offers Namo Bharat Rapid Rail services.

Last week, the Cabinet of Economic Affairs approved the doubling of the 104-kilometre Bakhtiyarpur–Rajgir–Tilaiya single railway line in the poll-bound state, at a cost of about ₹2,192 crore. The rail section offers rail connectivity to prominent destinations, including Rajgir (Shanti Stupa), Nalanda, and Pawapuri, attracting pilgrims and tourists from across the country. The multi-tracking projects will enhance connectivity to approximately 1,434 villages and 13.46 lakh people, as well as the two aspirational districts of Nawada and Gaya.