Patna: Indian Railways has launched a “Return Journey Discount Scheme” for passengers travelling to and from Bihar, marking a first for the state. The scheme allows travellers to avail discounts on their return tickets, offering greater convenience and cost savings. While it is unclear if the initiative is exclusive to Bihar, it is part of Railways’ broader efforts to enhance passenger services.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced that over 12,000 special trains will run towards Bihar from across the country in the next two months, anticipating heavy travel during upcoming festivals such as Diwali and Chhath. The announcement was made at Rail Bhavan in New Delhi, with Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, JDU Executive President Sanjay Jha and MP Dr Sanjay Jaiswal in attendance.
Key features of the scheme
The round trip package aims to make travel more comfortable by offering:
- Discounted return tickets: Passengers travelling between October 13–26 and returning between November 17- December 1 can receive up to a 20% discount on return fares.
- Vikalp Yojana support: Passengers on waiting lists will have the opportunity to travel under this scheme.
- Enhanced passenger facilities: Railways has announced improvements in train hygiene, safety, and overall convenience.
New services and infrastructure in Bihar
Ashwini Vaishnav also unveiled plans for new train services and infrastructure projects across the state:
- New trains: Four Amrit Bharat Express services will run between Gayaji–Delhi, Saharsa–Amritsar, Chhapra–Delhi and Muzaffarpur–Hyderabad.
- Buddha Circuit Train: A dedicated train connecting religious sites associated with Lord Buddha, including Vaishali, Hajipur, Sonpur, Patna, Rajgir, Nalanda, Gaya and Koderma.
- Vande Bharat Express: A new service connecting Purnia to Patna, linking the Seemanchal region with the state capital.
- Ring railway and new lines: Plans for a ring railway around Patna and a new line from Sultanganj to Deoghar.
- Other projects: Construction of a new washing pit at Laukha and several road overbridges and underpasses to improve connectivity.
