Patna: Indian Railways has drawn up plans to construct additional rail lines between Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (DDU) station and Jhajha at an estimated cost of RSs 17,000 crore, in a bid to ease congestion and improve punctuality on one of Bihar’s busiest routes.
According to railway officials, a third and fourth line will be laid between DDU and Kiul, while only a third line will be added between Kiul and Jhajha. The engineering scale plan is currently being prepared, detailing the track layout, land requirements and integration with existing stations. The railway board has already approved the construction of the third line on the route, with proposals to be sent in phases for further clearance.
A meeting between the railways and the Bihar government last week helped iron out key issues relating to land acquisition and infrastructure. The state has agreed to provide around four metres of land between Gulzarbagh and Patna Sahib stations, where the railways will also build a 3.5-metre-wide service road alongside an elevated road to ensure smooth public movement. Officials said this agreement would accelerate the project.
Under the plan, the third and fourth lines will be laid from DDU to Patna, with a third line between Rajendranagar and Fatuha and a fourth line routed to Fatuha via Neura, Jatdumri and Daniyawan. Both third and fourth lines will be extended from Fatuha to Kiul, while only the third line will continue from Kiul to Jhajha.
At present, 280 to 292 trains run daily between Jhajha and DDU, putting intense pressure on the existing double track. During festivals and peak seasons, when special trains are introduced, congestion worsens and delays become frequent. Railway officials said that once the additional lines are completed, train speeds would improve, and special services would be able to run more reliably.
