The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved three railway multi-tracking projects worth Rs 10,783 crore, covering 14 districts across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
The projects, planned for completion by 2029-30, will add around 656 km to the Indian Railways network and are expected to enhance line capacity, ease congestion and improve operational efficiency and service reliability.
The approved projects include the fourth line between Kharagpur and Jharsuguda (Bagdehi), the fourth line between Katni and Pendra Road, and the third line between Bilaspur (Uslapur) and Pendra Road.
The projects will improve connectivity to around 4,790 villages with a combined population of nearly 56 lakh, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced. The capacity augmentation is also expected to support connectivity to tourist destinations, including Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Amarkantak Temple, Achanakmar Tiger Reserve and the Ratanpur Mahamaya Temple.
The projects are key freight corridors for commodities such as coal, cement, iron and steel. The additional capacity is expected to enable incremental freight movement of around 27 million tonnes per annum.
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The government said the projects, planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, will also help improve multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency. The shift of freight traffic to rail is expected to reduce logistics costs, cut oil imports by an estimated 12 crore litres and lower carbon dioxide emissions by around 62 crore kg, equivalent to the plantation of 2.48 crore trees, the government said.
