Bihar emerges as hub of Amrit Bharat trains with 13 services
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday flagged off seven new trains, including three Amrit Bharat Express services, from Patna via video conferencing. The launches mark a significant push in India’s ongoing railway modernisation drive, particularly benefiting Bihar, which now accounts for 13 of the 15 Amrit Bharat trains in operation across the country.
The newly introduced services Muzaffarpur to Charlapalli near Hyderabad, Darbhanga to Madar Junction near Ajmer, and Chhapra to Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi are set to enhance Bihar’s connectivity to South, West, and North India. The Muzaffarpur - Charlapalli route is especially notable as it is the first Amrit Bharat service linking Bihar directly to South India. Officials said these trains would not only provide faster and more reliable travel but also spur tourism, trade, and employment opportunities for the state.
The Amrit Bharat Express has quickly become a symbol of affordable modernisation in the railway sector. Marketed as the “common man’s Vande Bharat,” it blends speed, safety, and comfort while keeping fares accessible for middle-class and lower-income passengers. Unlike traditional express and mail trains, the Amrit Bharat fleet features advanced coach designs with semi-permanent couplers to reduce jerks, sealed gangways for safety, and crashworthy structures that meet modern standards. Passenger amenities include fire detection systems, talk-back units for emergencies, LED lighting, bio-vacuum toilets, charging points, and improved seating a stark contrast to the barebones facilities of older non-AC coaches.
Beyond technical upgrades, the Amrit Bharat project carries symbolic weight. It reflects India’s ethos of inclusive growth by extending modernisation benefits to the majority of passengers who travel in non-AC and sleeper classes. Built indigenously under the Make in India initiative, the trains highlight India’s growing engineering and manufacturing capabilities. By connecting distant regions from the plains of Bihar to the technology hub of Hyderabad these services also embody the spirit of national integration and economic unity.
The launches come against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny of railway safety following major accidents, including the 2023 Balasore triple-train collision in Odisha. That tragedy underscored gaps in signalling systems and human oversight, prompting Indian Railways to accelerate reforms. Key measures now include the deployment of the indigenous “Kavach” Automatic Train Protection system, modernization of signaling and telecom networks, introduction of crashworthy coaches, and increased use of AI-based monitoring and drones for inspection. Dedicated funds such as the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh are also being channelled into infrastructure upgrades and staff training to improve safety culture.
With Amrit Bharat Express, Indian Railways is demonstrating that progress need not be exclusive to premium passengers. While trains like Vande Bharat showcase technological ambition, Amrit Bharat reflects the democratic spirit of Indian transport bringing modernisation to the ordinary traveller who forms the backbone of the country’s rail network.
In conclusion , these new services not only strengthen Bihar’s connectivity but also reaffirm the government’s vision of a safer, faster, and more inclusive railway system. By investing in technology, safety, and comfort for all classes of passengers, Indian Railways is charting a course towards a transport network that mirrors India itself, diverse, ambitious, and committed to growth with inclusivity.