Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off four new Amrit Bharat trains in Bihar’s Motihari and launched a slew of infrastructure and welfare projects worth over ₹7,200 crore, ahead of the state’s upcoming assembly elections.
The newly flagged Amrit Bharat trains will connect:
- Rajendra Nagar Terminal (Patna) to New Delhi
- Bapudham Motihari to Delhi (Anand Vihar Terminal)
- Darbhanga to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar)
- Malda Town to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) via Bhagalpur
Alongside the rail initiatives, PM Modi handed over home allotment keys to 12,000 beneficiaries and released ₹160 crore under PM Awas Yojana-Gramin. He also transferred ₹400 crore to around 61,500 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the DAY-NRLM scheme, highlighting a continued emphasis on women-led development.
In the connectivity and transport sectors, the PM inaugurated major railway doubling and signalling projects and laid the foundation for Vande Bharat maintenance infrastructure at Patliputra, as well as significant upgrades to the Darbhanga–Narkatiaganj line (₹4,080 crore).
These developments come in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, likely to be held in October or November 2025, though dates are yet to be announced by the Election Commission. The NDA alliance (BJP, JD(U), LJP) currently holds a majority with 131 MLAs, while the opposition INDIA bloc (RJD, Congress, Left parties) controls 111 seats in the 243-member assembly.
