East Central Railway has submitted a formal proposal to the Railway Board for constructing a massive four-lane railway bridge over the Son River in Koilwar, Bihar. This project is designed to tackle the heavy traffic pressure on the Howrah-Patna and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (DDU) rail sections. Once operational, the bridge will allow multiple trains to cross at the same time, significantly reducing the waiting time for passenger and goods trains.
Key features and technical details of the new rail bridge
The proposed four-lane bridge will be built parallel to the existing bridge at Koilwar and is expected to be a milestone for Indian Railways. It is a critical component of the larger railway expansion plan involving the third and fourth lines between DDU and Jhajha. This expansion project has a total estimated budget of approximately 17,000 crore rupees, while the Koilwar bridge alone is estimated to cost between 3500 and 4000 crore rupees.
- Strategic Location: The bridge will span across the Son River, connecting vital rail routes.
- Operational Capacity: It will enable at least three trains to pass simultaneously.
- Project Cost: Estimated investment for the bridge is around 4000 crore rupees.
- National Importance: This will be only the second four-lane railway bridge in the entire country.
Project timeline and official approval process
The proposal was officially sent by East Central Railway to the Railway Board on April 2, 2026. Authorities are now working on the Detailed Project Report (DPR), which is expected to be submitted within this month for further evaluation. Following the board’s review, the project will move to the Central Cabinet for final financial and administrative approval. Earlier in 2025, the Danapur Railway Division had already initiated preparatory work, including encroachment removal notices near Koilwar station to clear the path for future expansion.