Bhagalpur: Bhagalpur is all set to get a second Rajdhani Express connecting the city to Delhi, bringing relief and excitement to passengers. The new train will run between Sairang station in Mizoram and Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi. It will start its regular service on 19 September from Sairang and on 21 September from Delhi. According to the timetable, the train will leave Sairang at 4:30pm on Friday and reach Bhagalpur at 6:10pm on Saturday. After a short halt of five minutes, it will leave for Anand Vihar and reach the national capital at 10:50am on Sunday morning.
The return service will run from Anand Vihar every Sunday at 7:50pm and reach Bhagalpur at 12:25pm on Monday. Eastern Railway officials said the new train will have 20 coaches, including one First AC, four Second AC and 12 Third AC coaches, providing more comfort and options for passengers. People of Bhagalpur had been waiting for more Rajdhani services, and this new train is expected to reduce crowding and long waiting lists during busy travel seasons.
Apart from this new train service, the region is also witnessing major development projects that will improve both travel and trade. A new railway line is being built to connect popular religious destinations like Deoghar, Dumka, Bounsi and Rampurhat. The 177 km track will pass through five districts of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, directly benefiting over 28 lakh people living in 441 villages. This line will make it easier for pilgrims to travel and will also improve the movement of goods, as currently a dozen goods trains run every day on a single line.
Road connectivity is also getting a boost through the Mokama-Munger Greenfield Four Lane Project, which is part of the Buxar-Bhagalpur Expressway. Once the 82 km long road section is ready, travel between Patna, Munger and Bhagalpur will become one hour faster. Work is also underway on a goods warehouse and FCI platform at Hansdiha, which will make transport of coal, cement, fertilizer and stone more efficient. Local MP Dr Nishikant Dubey said that this Rs 3,179 crore project has been approved with the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will bring new opportunities for trade, jobs and regional growth.
