Cabinet Approves Four Railway Projects Worth ₹11,169 Crore
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved four multi-tracking railway projects with a total estimated cost of ₹11,169 crore. The projects will add approximately 574 km to the Indian Railways network across 13 districts in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Expected to be completed by 2028-29, the initiatives aim to enhance connectivity, ease congestion on essential freight routes for commodities like coal and cement, and improve multi-modal logistics efficiency.
Unpacked:
The four projects involve the Itarsi–Nagpur fourth line, Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)–Parbhani doubling, Aluabari Road–New Jalpaiguri third and fourth lines, and Dangoaposi–Jaroli third and fourth lines. These routes cross 13 districts in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand.
The primary beneficiaries will be bulk commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agricultural commodities, and petroleum products. These routes are essential corridors for the movement of these goods, and the upgrades are expected to support an incremental freight loading of about 95.91 million tonnes per year.
These projects are part of the PM Gati Shakti framework, which emphasizes integrated planning and coordination among ministries to deliver next-generation infrastructure. The goal is to enhance connectivity, reduce logistics costs, create jobs, save fuel, cut carbon emissions, and support economic growth.
The projects are expected to improve connectivity and mobility, which can facilitate local economic development, job creation, and better access to markets. Reduced congestion and enhanced freight efficiency may also lower the cost of goods and improve service reliability for residents in the 13 affected districts.