The Gaya–Kiul line is a railway line connecting Gaya Junction on the Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line and Kiul Junction on the Howrah–Delhi main line, both in the Indian state of Bihar. The line is 129 km (80 mi) long, operates on 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge, is fully electrified, and has double tracks throughout. It is owned by Indian Railways and operated by the East Central Railway zone.
History
The South Bihar Railway Company (operated by the East Indian Railway) laid a line from Lakhisarai to Gaya in 1879, several years before the Grand Chord was built. The connection from the Howrah–Delhi main line to Gaya was further developed in 1900. The Grand Chord was opened on 6 December 1906.
Track Doubling
Track doubling of the 130 km (81 mi) long Gaya–Kiul line was announced in the Railway Budget for 2010–2011. In March 2016, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the doubling of the 124 km Kiul–Gaya railway line at an estimated cost of ₹1,354.22 crore. The project was completed in phases:
- Phase I: Manpur–Wazirganj — commissioned December 2019
- Phase II: Wazirganj–Tilaiya — commissioned September 2022
- Phase III: Lakhisarai–Sheikhpura — commissioned October 2022
- Phase IV: Sheikhpura–Tilaiya — commissioned February 2025
The project benefited the Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Nawadah, and Gaya districts of Bihar.
Electrification
Feasibility studies for electrification of the Manpur–Tilaiya–Kiul section were announced in the rail budget for 2010–2011. Electrification of the single line from Gaya to Kiul was completed in July 2018, carried out in two phases: first from Tilaiya to Warisaliganj, and then from Warisaliganj to Lakhisarai.
Route
The line runs from Gaya Junction (0 km) through stations including Manpur Junction, Paimar, Karjara, Wazerganj, Tilaiya Junction (where it connects to the Bakhtiyarpur–Tilaiya and Fatuha–Tilaiya lines), Nawada, Warisaliganj, Sheikhpura, Sirari, Lakhisarai, and terminates at Kiul Junction (130 km). At Kiul, it connects to the Sahibganj loop and the Asansol–Patna section of the Howrah–Delhi main line.
Passenger Movement
Gaya is the only station on this line that ranks among the top hundred booking stations of the Indian Railways. Other notable stations include Nawada, Sheikhpura, and Warisaliganj. The distance from Kiul to Mughalsarai is 335 km via Patna and 334 km via Gaya; however, significantly fewer trains operate via the Gaya route compared to the Patna route.
Notable Trains
Trains operating on this route include the Deoghar–Varanasi Vande Bharat Express, Jasidih–Pune Weekly Express, Howrah–Gaya Express, Gaya–Kamakhya Express, and Godda–New Delhi Humsafar Express.
