The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, has approved four significant railway infrastructure projects at a combined cost of approximately Rs. 11,169 crore. These projects, aimed at enhancing capacity, connectivity, and logistics efficiency, are part of the Government’s larger vision under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
Four Key Railway Projects Approved
The Ministry of Railways will undertake the following major capacity augmentation works:
- Itarsi–Nagpur (Fourth Line)
- Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) – Parbhani (Doubling)
- Aluabari Road–New Jalpaiguri (Third and Fourth Line)
- Dangoaposi–Jaroli (Third and Fourth Line)
These projects will collectively add around 574 kilometres to the existing Indian Railways network.
Enhanced Connectivity Across Six States
The approved rail projects will cover 13 districts spread across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand, and are expected to directly benefit approximately 2,309 villages with a combined population of over 43.6 lakh.
The new lines are crucial for improved movement of both passengers and freight and will significantly reduce congestion, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure greater reliability in rail services.
Freight Capacity and Economic Impact
These enhanced routes are strategically important for the transportation of vital commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agricultural produce, and petroleum products. The capacity expansion is projected to handle additional freight traffic of 95.91 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).
Environmental and Strategic Benefits
The projects are aligned with India’s environmental and economic goals:
- Reduction in oil imports by 16 crore litres
- Lowering CO₂ emissions by 515 crore kilograms, equivalent to the plantation of 20 crore trees
- Boosting logistics efficiency and reducing transportation costs
Supporting the Vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat
These infrastructure initiatives are in line with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a New India and aim to create more employment and self-employment opportunities. By improving connectivity and economic potential in underserved areas, the railways will become a major enabler of inclusive and sustainable development.
The government stated that these multi-tracking projects, built through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations, will play a vital role in transforming the logistics landscape of the country.
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