Patna: The Railway Board has approved seven new Amrit Bharat Express trains, including services that will pass through or connect with important rail routes serving Bihar and neighbouring states.
The proposed services will improve travel options towards southern India, Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat and other major destinations. However, regular operations have not yet started and the dates for their launch are yet to be announced.
Among the proposed services, the Dhanbad-Coimbatore Amrit Bharat Express is particularly relevant for passengers travelling from Bihar towards southern India.
Dhanbad-Coimbatore service
The Dhanbad-Coimbatore train is proposed to run through several important stations, including Gomoh, Parasnath, Koderma, Gaya and Sasaram.
From there, it will travel via Prayagraj, Katni, Jabalpur and Nagpur before heading towards Coimbatore.
According to the proposal, the service will operate from Dhanbad on Saturdays and from Coimbatore on Tuesdays.
The route is expected to provide passengers from Bihar with another option for travelling to Coimbatore and other destinations in southern India.
Gopalpur-linked connectivity to Mumbai and Delhi
The proposed Gorakhpur-Bandra Amrit Bharat Express will connect Gorakhpur with Mumbai via Kanpur, Agra, Kota, Ratlam, Vadodara, Surat and Borivali before terminating at Bandra.
Gorakhpur is an important rail hub for passengers from parts of Bihar, particularly those travelling towards western and central India.
Another proposed service, the Gorakhpur-Delhi Amrit Bharat Express, will connect the eastern Uttar Pradesh city with the national capital through Basti, Gonda, Sitapur, Bareilly, Moradabad and Ghaziabad.
The service could provide an additional option for passengers from western Bihar travelling towards Delhi.
Three proposed services towards Mumbai and Gujarat
The Subedarganj-Lokmanya Tilak Amrit Bharat Express is proposed to connect the Prayagraj region with Mumbai. Its route will include Fatehpur, Kanpur, Banda, Chitrakoot, Satna, Jabalpur, Itarsi, Khandwa, Bhusawal, Nashik Road, Kalyan and Thane.
The proposed Prayagraj-Udhna Amrit Bharat Express will run through Fatehpur, Kanpur, Etawah, the Agra region, Bharatpur, Kota, Ratlam and Vadodara before reaching Udhna.
The third service, Prayagraj-Lokmanya Tilak Amrit Bharat Express, is proposed to travel via Satna, Jabalpur, Itarsi and Bhusawal before reaching Kalyan in Maharashtra.
Telangana-Gorakhpur service
The proposed Charlapalli-Gorakhpur Amrit Bharat Express will strengthen rail connectivity between Telangana and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
While the service will not directly pass through Bihar, improved connectivity with Gorakhpur could provide an additional travel option for passengers from neighbouring parts of the state.
Operations yet to begin
The Railway Board’s approval does not mean that the seven services have already started operating.
The railway authorities are yet to announce the inauguration and regular operating dates for the proposed trains.
Once introduced, the services are expected to expand long-distance rail options for passengers in Bihar and neighbouring regions, particularly those travelling towards southern India, Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat.
