New Delhi: Four railway multitracking projects, with a total cost of Rs 11,169 crore, to expand the Indian Railways network by approximately 574 kilometres across 13 districts in Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand, were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), today. The projects will connect approximately 2,309 villages with a population of about 43.60 lakh.
The CCEA, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved these projects with completion expected by 2028-29. The projects include the Itarsi-Nagpur 4th Line, Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)-Parbhani Doubling, Aluabari Road-New Jalpaiguri 3rd and 4th Line, and Dangoaposi-Jaroli 3rd and 4th Line. These routes are vital for transporting commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agricultural products, and petroleum products, with an expected additional freight traffic of 95.91 million tonnes per annum.
These initiatives are expected to generate direct employment for about 229 lakh human-days during construction, and the increased line capacity would enhance mobility, improve operational efficiency, and ensure service reliability by streamlining operations and reducing congestion.
Aligned with the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the projects focus on multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations, facilitating seamless movement of people, goods, and services. A Cabinet note stated that the railway expansion will contribute to climate goals by reducing oil imports by 16 crore litres and lowering CO2 emissions by 515 crore kilograms, equivalent to planting 20 crore trees, while minimising logistics costs.
– global bihari bureau
