A new double-line rail bridge over the Ganga at Mokama in Bihar began operations on 5 October, with the Mahananda Express becoming the first train to cross the structure. The commissioning followed safety clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety for the Eastern Circle.

The train crossed the bridge at about 90 km/h, compared with speed restrictions of 40 to 50 km/h on the existing Rajendra Setu. The new infrastructure adds two rail lines alongside the single-line bridge, doubling capacity on an important railway corridor connecting north and south Bihar.

The project cost Rs. 24 bn and includes the bridge, connecting tracks and associated infrastructure. The main structure spans about 1.86 km, while the overall project extends for approximately 14 km. It is designed to support train speeds of up to 140 km/h and will connect with the Mokama-Barauni section and the Howrah-Delhi main line.

Guru Prakash, Commissioner of Railway Safety for the Eastern Circle in Kolkata, conducted a two-day inspection on 3 and 4 October before issuing the clearance. The review covered the bridge structure, tracks, signalling systems, electrification facilities and other technical arrangements along the Rajendra Pul-Hathidah Upper-Rampur Dumra rail section.

The project was sanctioned in the 2015-16 Rail Budget, while construction began after its launch in March 2016. It includes three electronic interlocking systems, two interlocked level-crossing gates and an automatic signalling system. IRCON International awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract to Afcons Infrastructure, which built the new bridge parallel to the decades-old Rajendra Setu.