The Ministry of Railways has decided to begin work on the 58-km Kursela-Bihariganj New Line project in Bihar’s Kosi-Seemanchal region, 17 years after it was first announced in the 2008–09 Budget.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, stated that the delay was due to previously low traffic projections. However, renewed public interest and the approval of the Bikramshila-Katarea New Line project have made the line operationally necessary. An allocation of Rs 170.8 crore has been made for FY26 for both the Kursela-Bihariganj and Jalalgarh-Kishanganj projects.

The Bikramshila-Katarea project, sanctioned in August 2024, spans 26.23 km and includes a bridge over the Ganga, with a total cost of Rs 2,549 crore and an FY26 outlay of Rs 64.05 crore. A 92-km Bihariganj-Virpur line via Murliganj and Triveniganj has also completed field surveys. Eight additional rail surveys covering 1,351 km are underway to enhance Bihar’s connectivity.