Cabinet okays ₹32,500 cr for Railways' multi-tracking projects

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved seven multi-tracking projects of Indian Railways at an estimated cost of around Rs 32,500 crore, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

The proposed projects, which will be fully funded by the Centre, will help increase the existing line capacity, smoothen train operations, reduce congestion and facilitate ease of travelling and transportation.

The projects covering 35 districts in nine states -- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal -- will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by 2,339 km and provide employment of an estimated 7.06 crore man-days to the people of the states.

The projects include doubling of the existing line between Gorakhpur-Cantt-Valmiki Nagar, the Son Nagar-Andal Multi tracking Project, third line between Nergundi-Barang and Khurda Road-Vizianagaram and between Mudkhed-Medchal and Mahbubnagar-Dhone, doubling of existing line between Guntur-Bibinagar, doubling of existing line between Chopan-Chunar and the quadrupling between Samakhiali-Gandhidham.

Vaishnaw said these are essential routes for transportation of varied basket of commodities such as foodgrains, fertilizers, coal, cement, fly-ash, iron and finished steel, clinkers, crude oil, lime stone, edible oil etc.

The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 200 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).

The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and for reducing logistics cost of the country, the ministry said in a statement.

The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for Multi-model connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.

Vaishnaw said each of these projects would substantially reduce the journey time of passengers.

Highlighting the strategic significance of these initiatives, he emphasised that the projects are intricately interconnected and should be viewed holistically, as they collectively contribute to the modernisation of Indian Railways.