New Delhi, Aug 1 : In a bid to support the socio-economic development of Bihar, Indian Railways has approved multitracking of the 29 km Danapur to Fatuha section of East Central Railway for Rs 976 crore, an official statement said on Saturday.

The approval reaffirms the commitment of Indian Railways to expanding capacity on high-density routes, strengthening logistics for energy and industry.

The project will decongest one of the busiest stretches on the Patna rail corridor and create room for a large increase in both passenger and freight services, according to Railways Ministry.

In the first year of operation, the project will allow 22 additional passenger trains and 18 additional freight trains every day.

It will also enable handling of an additional 5.2 million tonnes per annum of freight traffic.

The project forms part of the quadrupling initiative on the Delhi, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Patna, Kiul, Bhagalpur, Khanna and Howrah route.

This route is identified under the Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor of Indian Railways.

The strengthened section is also vital for the upcoming 2120 MW thermal power plant at Chausa in Buxar district, which will depend on rail movement of bulk inputs, according to the statement.

The sanctioned work covers three components. Third and fourth lines will be laid between Danapur and Patna. A third line will be laid between Rajendra Nagar and Patna Saheb.

Third and fourth lines will be laid between Patna Saheb and Fatuha. The additional lines will ease congestion, minimise delays, and improve punctuality across the Patna region, according to the statement.

According to the ministry, Railways is headed for a transformative expansion with the government having approved a total investment of Rs 1.53 lakh crore across 100 new projects in 2025-26 covering more than 6,000 kilometres of railway network.

Compared to FY 2024â??25, where 64 projects worth Rs 72,869 crore covering over 2,800 kilometres were cleared, project approvals have increased by 56 per cent, route coverage has surged by over 114 per cent, and financial commitment has witnessed a remarkable jump of more than 110 per cent, according to a factsheet released by the ministry.

/IANS