New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved seven multi-tracking projects of the Ministry of Railways with an estimated cost of around Rs.32,500 crore, with 100% funding from Central Government.
The projects cover 35 Districts in nine States – Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The government expects to increase the existing network of Indian Railways by 2339 kilometres and said these projects will also provide employment of 7.06 crore man-days to the people of the states during construction.
These projects will be undertaken to increase the existing line capacity, smoothen train operations, reduce congestion and facilitate ease of travelling and transportation.
A CCEA note stated that the proposals of multi-tracking will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways.
The projects include:
These are essential routes for the transportation of varied baskets of commodities such as foodgrains, fertilizers, coal, cement, fly ash, iron and finished steel, clinkers, crude oil, limestone, and edible oil.
The CCEA stated that the capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 200 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). It further noted that the Railways being an environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation will help both in achieving climate goals and reducing logistics costs of the country.
The projects are expected to create a multi-tasking workforce in the region and enhance employment as well as self-employment opportunities.
The projects are the result of the ‘PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan’ for multi-model connectivity which has been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services.
– global bihari bureau
