The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has recently cleared doubling of the Bakhtiyarpur–Rajgir–Tilaiya single-line section (approx. 104 km) in Bihar at a total cost of about Rs 2,192 crore. Covering four districts, including aspirational districts Gaya and Nawada, the multi-tracking will add around 104 km to the national network and de-bottleneck one of the region’s busiest corridors.

The section serves prominent destinations such as Rajgir (Shanti Stupa), Nalanda and Pawapuri, attracting pilgrims and tourists nationwide. For freight, it is an essential artery for coal, cement, clinker and fly ash movement. Capacity augmentation is expected to accommodate an additional 26 MTPA, improving service reliability and turnaround.

Rail’s inherently energy-efficient profile supports climate goals by reducing oil imports (about 5 crore litres) and lowering CO₂ emissions (around 24 crore kg), equivalent to planting 1 crore trees. The improvement is set to enhance connectivity for approximately 1,434 villages and 13.46 lakh people, aligning with PM Gati Shakti’s focus on multi-modal integration and logistics efficiency.