By Arun Kumar Das
New Delhi, Sept 29 (BVI) Ahead of Bihar Assembly elections, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, along with Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, today flagged off 7 new trains in the state, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains.
With the inauguration of these new trains, Bihar now has a total of 26 Amrit Bharat Express services operational out of the 30 services, running across the country.
The Muzaffarpur–Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express is the first Amrit Bharat train from Muzaffarpur to South India, while the Chhapra–Anand Vihar Amrit Bharat Express became the sixth Amrit Bharat train from Bihar to Delhi.
This state-of-the-art indigenous train will provide passengers with a fast, safe, and comfortable travel experience.
Speaking on the occasion via video conference, Vaishnav said, “the pace of development in Bihar is such that the state is set to emerge as a golden state in the near future.”
He said these trains will provide a new level of connectivity in Bihar, enhancing convenience for passengers and accelerating the state’s overall development.
The Union Minister added that since PM Modi assumed office in 2014, he has prioritized the Railways, with a special focus on the States.
The Minister said that earlier, the annual railway budget for Bihar was only around ₹1,000 crore before 2014, whereas today it stands at about ₹10,000 crore.
The Railways Minister said PM Modi has presented a significant vision for Bihar’s development, with projects worth around ₹1 lakh crore underway in Bihar.
He also said the state’s railway network has been fully electrified, and 1,899 km of new track has been laid.
Developed by Indian Railways, the Amrit Bharat Express has become a symbol of modernization in the country’s railway system.
The train is not just a fast and affordable travel option, but it also comes equipped with advanced features such as semi-automatic couplers, fire detection systems, sealed gangways, and talk-back units.
For the first time, such an advanced technology has been introduced in non-AC coaches enhancing passenger safety.
Vaishnaw added that work is ongoing on several other projects, and planning for additional projects is underway.
Currently, 13 Amrit Bharat Express trains are operating in Bihar, covering 42 stops across 25 districts.
In addition, 10 pairs of trains of Vande Bharat services cover 28 districts. The state also has Namo Bharat Rapid Rail services in operation.
These new trains originating from Bihar will make travel across different regions of the state more convenient, boosting economic and social activities.
The purpose of these trains is not only to provide better connectivity but also to offer passengers safe, fast, and comfortable travel. (BVI)
