Date: 2025-09-10Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Cabinet approves doubling of Bhagalpur – Dumka – Rampurhat single railway line section (177 Km) in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal with total cost of Rs. 3,169 Crore
**Policy Summary: Doubling of Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat Railway Line**
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the doubling of the 177 km Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat single railway line section, spanning Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. The project is estimated to cost ₹3,169 crore.
The doubling of the railway line aims to enhance line capacity, improve mobility, and provide more efficient and reliable rail services. By easing operations and reducing congestion on this busy section, the project supports infrastructural development across the Indian Railways network.
Aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the project focuses on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistics efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations, facilitating seamless movement of people, goods, and services. The project covers five districts across the three states and will increase the existing Indian Railways network by approximately 177 km. The railway line also provides rail connectivity to prominent pilgrimage destinations such as Deoghar Baba Baidyanath Dham and Tarapith Shakti Peeth.
The multitracking project will enhance connectivity to approximately 441 villages, benefiting around 28.72 lakh people and three Aspirational Districts: Banka, Godda, and Dumka. It is an essential route for transporting commodities such as coal, cement, fertilizers, bricks, and stones. The capacity augmentation is expected to result in additional freight traffic of 15 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).
The project will contribute to achieving climate goals by promoting an environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, minimizing the country's logistics costs, reducing oil imports by 5 Crore Litres, and lowering CO2 emissions by 24 Crore Kg, equivalent to planting 1 Crore trees.
Key Entities Referenced
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs: An Indian government committee responsible for economic policy matters; approved the railway line project.
Shri Narendra Modi: The Prime Minister of India, who chaired the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
Bhagalpur Dumka Rampurhat: The name of the single railway line section that will be doubled.
Bihar: One of the states where the railway line section is located in India.
Jharkhand: One of the states where the railway line section is located in India.
West Bengal: One of the states where the railway line section is located in India.
Indian Railways: The state-owned railway company of India, which will benefit from the enhanced line capacity.
PMGati Shakti National Master Plan: A national plan focused on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency in India.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)
Cabinet approves doubling of Bhagalpur – Dumka –
Rampurhat single railway line section (177 Km) in
Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal with total cost of
Rs. 3,169 Crore
Posted On: 10 SEP 2025 3:05PM by PIB Delhi
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today has
approved the doubling of Bhagalpur – Dumka - Rampurhat single railway line Section (177 km) in Bihar,
Jharkhand and West Bengal with total cost of Rs.3,169 crore (approx.).
The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service
reliability for Indian Railways. The multi-tracking proposal will ease operations and reduce
congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across
Indian Railways. The projects are in line with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s vision of a
New India which will make people of the region “Atmanirbhar” by way of comprehensive
development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities.
The projects are planned on PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with focus on enhancing multi-
modal connectivity & logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations.
These projects will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods, and services.
The project covering five Districts in three states i.e. Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal will
increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 177 Kms.
Project section also provides rail connectivity to prominent destinations such as Deoghar (Baba
Baidyanath Dham), Tarapith (Shakti Peeth) etc. attracting pilgrims and tourists from across the
country.
Multi-tracking projects will enhance connectivity to approx. 441 villages and about 28.72 lakh
population and three Aspirational Districts (Banka, Godda and Dumka).
This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, cement, fertilizers, bricks
and stones etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude
15 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being environment friendly and energy
efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics
cost of the country, reduce oil import (5 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (24 Crore Kg) which
is equivalent to plantation of 1 (One) Crore trees.
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MJPS/BM
(Release ID: 2165248)