Bettiah/ Patna: Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday inaugurated a newly constructed road over bridge (ROB) at level crossing no. 02 in Bettiah, West Champaran. The bridge, built to ease traffic congestion in the city, was dedicated to the nation through women representatives as a symbol of Nari Shakti (women empowerment). Addressing the gathering, Vaishnaw assured that the demand for a Vande Bharat train between Gorakhpur and Patna via Bettiah would be considered, and that more such trains would soon be introduced across India.
Vaishnaw also inspected a 3D model of Bettiah railway station, which is being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The event was attended by Satish Chandra Dubey, minister of state for coal and mines, as well as MPs Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, Sunil Kumar, and Gopalji Thakur. Senior railway officials, including Chhatrasal Singh, general manager of East Central Railway (ECR), and Vinay Srivastava, divisional railway manager of Samastipur division, were also present.
Massive Budget Allocation for Bihar’s Rail Development
Later, speaking at a press conference at Bettiah railway station, Vaishnaw highlighted the increased budgetary allocations for Bihar’s railway sector under the Narendra Modi government. He stated that between 2009 and 2014, Bihar received an average annual railway budget of Rs 1,132 crore, whereas in the 2025 budget, the allocation had risen to Rs 10,066 crore.
An investment of Rs 95,566 crore is being made for Bihar’s railway development, he said, adding that in the past decade, 1,832 km of new railway lines had been constructed in the state – equivalent to the total railway network of Malaysia. He also noted that 3,020 km of track had been electrified since 2014, leading to 100% railway electrification in Bihar.
Infrastructure Development in Champaran and Beyond
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 98 railway stations in Bihar are being redeveloped, including Bettiah, Bapudham Motihari, Narkatiaganj, and Raxaul. The government has also approved the doubling of railway lines on the Narkatiaganj-Raxaul-Sitamarhi-Darbhanga section.
The doubling work on the Valmikinagar-Sagauli and Sagauli-Muzaffarpur sections is already underway, which, once completed, will enable more train services in the region. Earlier in the day, Vaishnaw conducted an inspection of the Gorakhpur-Valmikinagar-Bagaha-Bettiah railway section via a special train.
Bettiah’s ROB to Ease Traffic Congestion
The ROB in Bettiah was built at a cost of Rs 103 crore to reduce traffic congestion and improve connectivity. The project included the construction of lanes connecting Bettiah to Lauria on one side and Mainatand and Narkatiaganj on the other. The Bettiah-Lauria lane was inaugurated by PM Modi in March 2024, while the Mainatand and Narkatiaganj lanes became operational in May 2024. The final portion of the project, the main road over bridge, was completed in January 2025 and inaugurated by Vaishnaw on Sunday.
Muzaffarpur Junction Redevelopment
Following the Bettiah event, Vaishnaw visited Muzaffarpur Junction, where he inspected a 3D model of its redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The station is being upgraded at a cost of Rs 442 crore.
He also announced that 100 Amrit Bharat long-distance trains and 100 short-distance Amrit Bharat trains would be introduced, along with 50 Namo Bharat trains for Puri. Additionally, the railway ministry plans to recruit 95,000 youth as part of its expansion efforts.
