SAMASTIPUR/ PATNA, July 8 -- Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday asserted that Indian Railways was playing a pivotal role in driving the country's development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at a public gathering at Karpoori Gram railway station in Samastipur district, the minister emphasised the government's strong commitment to making states like Bihar equal partners in the vision of a 'developed India'. "Bihar has received unprecedented attention in terms of railway investment," the minister said, revealing that the Centre had allocated Rs.10,000 crore for railway development in the state - a tenfold increase over previous years. The minister also informed that four new Amrit Bharat trains would soon be introduced in the state while two state-of-the-art IT parks in Patna and Darbhanga were ready for inauguration. Highlighting the strides made in railway infrastructure, Vaishnaw noted that over 35,000 kilometres of new rail lines had been added during the NDA regime in 11 years. In a significant administrative move, Vaishnaw announced that Karpoori Gram station, the native village of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, will now come under the jurisdiction of Samastipur railway division, shifting from Sonpur division - a long-standing demand of locals. Earlier in the day, the minister inaugurated several passenger amenities at Karpoori Gram station, including a new entrance and a modern waiting hall. He also laid the foundation stone for an overall station upgrading project worth Rs.3.30 crore for modernisation efforts, which will include upgraded station buildings, digital information systems, waiting rooms, toilets, drinking water facilities, and ramps for differently-abled passengers and a wide station concourse. Vaishnaw also performed the groundbreaking ceremony for a Rs.14 crore Road Under Bridge (RUB) at Level Crossing Gate No. 59 'C' between Karpoori Gram and Khudiram Bose Pusa stations to improve traffic flow and enhance safety in the region. It would be designed with automatic sump to prevent water logging even during heavy rains, he added. During his return visit to Patna, Vaishnaw made several key announcements at Digha Ghat Halt aimed at boosting connectivity and development in the state. He said the new Amrit Bharat trains would include daily Patna-Delhi service and weekly trains from Darbhanga to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) and Malda to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) besides Saharsa to Amritsar. Additionally, a new daily train from Jogbani to Erode will be launched. The minister also revealed that major railway projects on the verge of approval, were the Bhagalpur-Jamalpur third line (Rs.1,156 crore), Bakhtiyarpur-Rajgir-Tilaiya doubling project (Rs.2,017 crore), and Rampurhat-Bhagalpur doubling (Rs.3,000 crore)....