Bihar’s Mithilanchal gets Railway line after 88 years, Jhanjharpur-Saharsa connected by train

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After 88 years the demand of Bihar’s Mithilanchal residents were fulfilled on May 7 as Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the Jhanjharpur-Nirmali newly gauged converted rail section (32 km) and Nirmali-Asanpur new rail (6 km) through a video conferencing. He further commenced rail services on the new section by flagging off train number 05553 Jhanjharpur-Saharsa DEMU Special train. 

On the video conferencing, the Railway Minister quoted May 7 as the ‘historic day’ as after 88 years, with commissioning of this railway line a huge problem of the area was resolved. The residents had to travel a long distance to go from one place to another of the bridge on the Kosi river (which divided Mithilanchal into two parts).

However, this will bring great convenience to people residing at Bihar’s Mithilanchal area as it will reduce the distance between Jhanjharpur and Saharsa by half. He also said that Rs 6600 crore has been allocated for the development work of rail infrastructure and passenger facilities in Bihar. 

On this newly inaugurated railway section, 3 pairs of new DEMU special trains will run from May 8 from Laheriasarai to Saharsa via Darbhanga, Sakri, Jhanjharpur, Tamuria, Nirmali, Saraigarh and Supaul. 

This rail project lies under the 206 km long Sakri-Lauha Bazar Nirmali and Saharsa-Forbesganj gauge conversion project which costs around Rs 1584 crore. Rs 456 crore has been spent on the construction of 32 km long Jhanjharpur-Nirmali gauge conversion and 6 km long Nirmali-Asanpur Kupaha railway line. Along with this, the Kosi Megabridge has been constructed at a cost of Rs 491 crore. 

At this inauguration event Bihar Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Transport Minister Sheela Kumari, Jhanjharpur MP Rampreet Mandal, Jhanjharpur MLA Nitish Mishra and many others were present.