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Railway Line between Dehri on Sone to Banjari

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Railway Line between Dehri on Sone to Banjari

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 1605

ANSWERED ON: 27.11.2025

Railway Line between Dehri on Sone to Banjari

Chhedi Paswan

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has proposed to construct railway line from Dehri on Sone to Banjari in East Central Railways;

(b) if so, the details and the present status thereof;

(c) whether all the formalities have been completed by the Government to construct this 36.04 Km. long railway line that was proposed and sanctioned in the Budget 2008-09;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government contemplates to expedite the construction of this railway line for transportation of the people of this region and passengers of far flung areas; and

(f) if so, the details there of Rs.

ANSWER – MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (f) : Yes, Sir. Dehri-On-Sone-Banjari (35 Km) New Line is a sanctioned project having latest anticipated cost as Rs.1002.92 Cr.

The Final Location Survey (FLS) & Soil testing for this project has been completed.

Work of land acquisition & forestry clearance has been taken up.

Application for land acquisition for 37 villages out of 45 villages has been submitted with State Government. So far, possession of 9.915 acre land in 01 village has been taken over.

Here’s the latest official update on the Dehri‑on‑Sone → Banjari railway line project in Bihar’s Rohtas district:

🚧 Project Overview

  • A 36 km new broad-gauge line between Dehri-on-Sone (Pahleja) and Banjari, sanctioned in the 2008–09 Railway Budget, with estimated cost ₹1,002.92 crore.
  • Final Location Survey (FLS) and soil testing completed.
    Land acquisition and forestry clearance formally initiated: applications for 37 villages submitted, with only 9.915 acres acquired so far in one village.

⚠️ Current Status

  • No major ground work or construction has started.
  • Budget allocation remains token: in 2025–23 fiscal year, just ₹1,000 was allocated, a symbolic amount despite longstanding demand.
  • In Lok Sabha (2025), the Minister confirmed the project’s sanction and noted no fixed completion timeline.

📍 Strategic Importance

  • Restoring part of the historic Dehri–Rohtas Light Railway (narrow gauge) that once connected Dehri-on-Sone to Banjari and beyond (~67 km) back in the early 1900s.
  • Once operational, this route could significantly reduce connectivity gaps in southern Rohtas, boost access to religious and tourism sites such as the Surya Narayan Dev Mandir at Banjari, and potentially integrate into longer regional corridors via Chopan (UP).

🗣️ Local Sentiment & Political Push

  • Multiple public protests and demands have been raised by community groups and representatives from Ballia, Dumraon, and Rohtas, highlighting a route that would reduce travel distance between Ballia and Dehri from 360 km to just 98 km.
  • In early 2025, the Railway Minister authorized a feasibility investigation into the broader Ballia–Dumraon–Dehri corridor, which includes this line.

📊 Status Summary

Aspect Details (mid‑2025)
Line Length 36 km (Dehri-on-Sone to Banjari)
Sanctioned Yes, in 2008–09 Budget
Survey Status FLS & soil testing completed
Land Acquisition Applied in 37 villages; only ~10 acres secured
Budget Allocated Only ₹1,000 in 2025–23; no work funded
Construction Start Not initiated
Local Advocacy Active demand and recent MoR feasibility survey directive

🧭 Outlook

The Dehri–Banjari new-line project remains in limbo decades after sanction, largely due to funding inertia and policy delays. While technical formalities are complete, no substantial land acquisition or construction has taken place as of mid-2025.

However, renewed local advocacy and the Railway Ministry’s directive in early 2025 to assess the larger corridor offer a faint ray of hope—especially if state alignment and funding increase.

💬 Insights from Public Discussions

“Dehri‑Banjari has potential if extended to Chopan, offering an alternate route for traffic from North Bihar/North‑East avoiding saturated Grand Chord line.”

✅ Final Verdict

  • Project is sanctioned and surveyed, but halted at the preparatory stage.
  • Major obstacle: No actual funding or land acquisition has materialized.
  • Community pressure and parliamentary review may push review, but timelines remain uncertain.

Would you like help with:

  • Locating maps or proposed alignment for this line,
  • Tracking similar restoration corridors (e.g. Dehri to Chopan extension),
  • Parliamentary questions or documents referencing this ongoing project?

Just let me know!

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