Samastipur (Bihar), April 24 (IANS) With Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday flagging off the first 16-coach Namo Bharat Rapid Rail service between Bihar's Jayanagar and capital Patna, marking a significant expansion in India’s semi-high-speed rail network, residents of Samastipur are elated.

The launch took place during the National Panchayati Raj Day programme in Bihar's Madhubani. Alongside this flagship train, the Prime Minister also flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express between Saharsa and Mumbai, and new passenger services between Pipra and Saharsa, and Saharsa and Samastipur.

The Prime Minister also led a moment of silence to honour the victims of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.

This new Namo Bharat service is India’s first with 16 coaches - an upgrade from the 12-coach version introduced last year on the Ahmedabad-Bhuj route. Railway officials stated that the increase in coach capacity aims to meet the high passenger demand on this route, connecting major towns like Madhubani, Sakri, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Barauni, and Mokama to Patna.

The train recently arrived in Samastipur, where passengers expressed their excitement to IANS.

Passenger Shubham Karn said: "This is a very good train. The government has provided excellent facilities. Now, it’s up to us to maintain its cleanliness. The centralised AC is very effective, and both the train and the toilets are perfect. Everything is top-notch. I’ve made videos of the ride—it runs at 110 km/h across all sections. It's a big thing for Bihar."

Another passenger, Rajiv Kumar Mishra, said: "The rapid train is a great development, especially for the Maithili-speaking community. It’s admirable that Prime Minister Modi went ahead with the launch despite the tragic attack. I want to thank him for this initiative."

Mishra, who is also a railway employee, added: "The Prime Minister has given Bihar a train as impressive as his vision. This is the first rapid rail for our region. People can now reach Patna in just three hours for only Rs 200."