Patna: In the run-up to Bihar’s 2025 assembly elections, the state is set to receive another crucial rail connectivity boost. A new Sitamarhi–Delhi Amrit Bharat Express will be officially flagged off by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday. The launch will coincide with the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone for a grand Janaki temple at Punaura Dham, the mythological birthplace of Goddess Sita in Sitamarhi district.
The railway schedule, approved by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, proposes an initial weekly service between Sitamarhi and Old Delhi station. According to a statement by JD (U) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Jha, the train will depart Delhi at 2 pm, arriving in Sitamarhi at approximately 10.45 am the following day. The return journey will depart Sitamarhi at 10.15 pm, reaching Delhi by 10.40 pm. Stops en route will include Ghaziabad’s Chipyana Buzurg, Kanpur, Barabanki Junction, and Paniyahwa.
Described as a significant step in improving regional rail connectivity, the service is expected to increase tourist footfalls in Sitamarhi, particularly ahead of the temple’s development and broader local infrastructure initiatives. It represents part of the central government’s larger rail expansion in Bihar, which this year has already seen the launch of Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting Patna and Delhi, as well as Motihari–Delhi routes.
