Indian Railways has approved a ₹976 crore multitracking project for the 29-kilometer Danapur to Fatuha section in Bihar's East Central Railway zone. This infrastructure investment aims to decongest one of the busiest stretches on the Patna rail corridor and significantly increase both passenger and freight capacity.
The project involves three key components: laying third and fourth lines between Danapur and Patna, adding a third line between Rajendra Nagar and Patna Saheb, and constructing third and fourth lines between Patna Saheb and Fatuha. These additional lines are expected to ease congestion, minimize delays, and improve overall punctuality across the Patna region.
Upon completion in the first year of operation, the project will enable 22 additional passenger trains and 18 additional freight trains to operate daily. The enhanced infrastructure will also support handling an additional 5.2 million tonnes of freight traffic per annum.
This project forms part of the broader quadrupling initiative on the Delhi, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Patna, Kiul, Bhagalpur, Khanna and Howrah route, which is identified under Indian Railways' Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor. The strengthened section is particularly vital for supporting the upcoming 2,120 MW thermal power plant at Chausa in Buxar district, which will depend on rail movement for bulk inputs.
The approval demonstrates Indian Railways' commitment to expanding capacity on high-density routes, strengthening logistics for energy and industrial sectors, and supporting socio-economic development in Bihar through improved rail infrastructure.