Patna: Patna Junction is set to undergo a comprehensive redevelopment aimed at transforming it into a modern rail terminal on the lines of Mumbai’s major stations, as part of a wider plan to expand rail capacity across Bihar.
The redevelopment, estimated to cost about Rs 95bn, will include five underground platforms and a redesigned terminal layout intended to ease congestion and improve passenger flow. Railway officials said a reversible track system would be introduced between Patna and Patna City, allowing an additional line to operate in both directions to address chronic space constraints on the stretch.
As part of the capacity expansion, the two existing stabling lines between Danapur and Patna will be removed to facilitate the construction of third and fourth rail lines. The Railway Board has also sanctioned Rs 17,000bn for a broader project to double capacity on a roughly 400km corridor from Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction to Jhajha via Patna.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the upgrades are expected to significantly increase the number of trains over the next five years, while also allowing for higher operating speeds. Patna Junction, along with three other stations in the Danapur division, has been included among 48 major cities nationwide where rail capacity doubling is set to begin, alongside hubs such as Lucknow and Gorakhpur.
Officials said the planning has been based on projected demand over the next five years, with the aim of making rail travel faster and more efficient as the number of originating trains from these cities continues to rise.
The programme also includes the development of a new Bihta–Aurangabad rail line, a ring rail network around Patna, and a new bridge over the Ganges between Didarganj and Fatuha. Additional new lines are planned to improve connectivity and reduce pressure on existing routes.
Redevelopment work has already begun at Patna, Danapur, Ara, Buxar, Fatwah, Gahmar, Zamania and Patliputra stations, among others. The projects include new platforms, foot overbridges, circulating areas and improved approach roads. The railways have set June 2028 as the target for completion, after which officials expect a substantial increase in both passenger handling and train capacity across the region.
