New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways has initiated a feasibility study to develop Talgaria railway station in Jharkhand as a satellite terminal, a move aimed at enhancing rail capacity and improving passenger convenience in the Dhanbad–Bokaro industrial belt. The proposal is part of a broader plan to strengthen railway infrastructure in the state, where budget allocations and project execution have increased significantly in recent years.

Talgaria station, located on the Bokaro–Adra section of South Eastern Railway, lies about 30 km from Bokaro and currently handles limited passenger traffic, with an average daily footfall of around 200 passengers. The station has six railway lines, including two main lines and four loop lines, along with four high-level platforms and basic passenger amenities such as shelters, waiting halls, drinking water, toilets and a foot overbridge. At present, the station is served by four train services.

To improve operational capacity, the Railways recently completed 38 km track doubling between Talgaria and Bokaro North Cabin, while work is in progress on the 12.5 km Bhojudih–Talgaria doubling section, which is expected to further ease congestion on the route. The proposed satellite terminal development will be examined based on passenger demand, traffic trends, earnings and future growth potential.

At nearby Bokaro Steel City station, additional infrastructure works are underway to strengthen the rail network. These include construction of extra lines, extension of platforms, station building upgrades, escalators, waiting halls, parking facilities and improved accessibility for Divyangjan passengers. The station has also been selected for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

The Railways said infrastructure investment in Jharkhand has increased nearly 16 times, from about ₹457 crore per year during 2009–14 to around ₹7,306 crore in 2025–26. As of April 2025, a total of 26 rail projects covering 2,363 km are in different stages of planning, approval or construction in the state, with an expenditure of more than ₹15,800 crore already incurred.

In recent years, the Railways has completed major projects worth over ₹12,700 crore in Jharkhand, including the Koderma–Ranchi new line (202 km), Ramna–Singrauli doubling (160 km), Mandarhill–Dumka–Rampurhat line (130 km) and the Dongaposi–Rajkharswan third line (75 km). Track commissioning has also accelerated, with more than double the annual average compared to the period before 2014.

Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 57 stations in Jharkhand have been identified for development, out of which work at several stations has already been completed while others are in progress.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha that development of stations, new lines and capacity expansion works are being taken up based on operational requirements, traffic demand and availability of funds, with priority given to improving connectivity in industrial and high-traffic regions. DeshBharat