In a major boost to rail capacity in Bihar, Indian Railways has approved the multitracking of the 29 km Danapur–Fatuha section of East Central Railway for Rs 976 crore. The project will decongest one of the busiest stretches on the Patna rail corridor and create capacity for a significant increase in both passenger and freight services.
According to an official railway statement, the sanctioned work comprises three components. Third and fourth lines will be laid between Danapur and Patna. A third line will be laid between Rajendra Nagar and Patna Sahib. Third and fourth lines will be laid between Patna Sahib and Fatuha.
The additional lines will ease congestion, minimise delays and improve punctuality across the Patna region.
In the first year of operation, the project will enable the introduction of 22 additional passenger trains and 18 additional freight trains each day.
It will also facilitate the handling of an additional 5.2 million tonnes per annum of freight traffic.
The project forms part of the quadrupling initiative on the Delhi–Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction–Patna–Kiul–Bhagalpur–Khanna–Howrah route. This corridor has been identified under the Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor of Indian Railways.
The strengthened section will also play a vital role in supporting the upcoming 2,120 MW thermal power plant at Chausa in Buxar district, which will rely on rail transport for the movement of bulk inputs.
The approval reaffirms Indian Railways' commitment to expanding capacity on high-density routes, strengthening logistics for the energy and industrial sectors, and supporting the socio-economic development of Bihar.