Commuters in Bihar find relief as the Railway Board grants conditional approval to temporarily reopen the Itarhi railway crossing in Buxar, officially designated as Level Crossing No. 70 Special. The official order was issued on September 1, 2026, and permits the crossing to remain operational for a maximum period of six months or until repairs on the damaged Buxar-Itarhi Road overbridge are completed, whichever comes first, after which it will be permanently closed again.
- Railway Board grants conditional reopening of Itarhi level crossing 70 Special in Buxar Bihar.
- Crossing to stay open for six months or until the damaged Buxar Itarhi ROB is repaired.
- Decision follows severe public protests and a railway blockade after the ROB suffered early damage.
The decision comes as a major relief following significant public distress after the Buxar-Itarhi Road railway gate was permanently closed on
May 30, 2026, following the inauguration of a new Road overbridge. However, the newly opened ROB sustained unexpected structural damage around
June 5, 2026, forcing authorities to close it down and leaving local residents without a viable transit route for approximately
three months. This sudden disruption caused severe traffic congestion and widespread public demonstrations, which culminated in a major railway blockade on
August 8, 2026.
Local advocacy and intense lobbying by public representatives played a crucial role in reversing the closure. Buxar Member of Parliament
Sudhakar Singh confirmed receiving initial approval for the reopening on
August 28 and 29, 2026. Additionally, Rajpur MLA
Santosh Kumar Nirala personally lobbied the General Manager of the
East Central Railway to expedite the administrative process. Promptly responding to the situation, railway authorities began site preparations on
August 30 and 31, 2026, paving the way for the formal
September 1 order.
Even though the crossing is reopening temporarily to ease commuter woes, the Railway Board has mandated strict adherence to safety protocols during operations. Authorities noted that formal authorization from the
Commissioner of Railway Safety and the
Principal Chief Engineer may be obtained if deemed necessary. Meanwhile, accountability is being fixed as the
Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation remains the responsible agency for the ROB, and an official investigation into the premature structural failure of the overbridge is expected to be conducted soon.
