The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved two multitracking projects by the Ministry of Railways with a combined cost of Rs 24,815 crore to be completed by 2030-31. The cost is Rs 248.15 billion (bn) and the projects will add about 601 km to the network across 15 districts in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, increasing track length by 1,317 km. The approval is part of the PM?Gati Shakti National Master Plan to enhance multi?modal connectivity and logistic efficiency.

The Ghaziabad–Sitapur third and fourth line covers a route length of 403 km and a track length of 859 km on the Delhi–Guwahati High Density Network. The section operates at about 168 per cent capacity and would reach 207 per cent if the project is not taken up. The project cost is Rs 14,926 crore, or Rs 149.26 bn, and it is expected to generate 27.4 million (mn) human?days of employment while saving about 1,287.7 mn kg of CO2 equivalent and yielding logistic savings of Rs 28.77 bn per year.

The Rajahmundry (Nidadavolu)–Visakhapatnam (Duvvada) third and fourth line covers 198 km of route and 458 km of track as part of the Howrah–Chennai High Density Network. The section is operating at about 130 per cent capacity and serves major ports and industrial centres on the east coast. The project includes a 4.3 km rail bridge over the Godavari and a 2.67 km viaduct, shortens the alignment by around 8 km and has an estimated cost of Rs 9,889 crore, or Rs 98.89 bn, with 13.5 mn human?days of employment and annual logistic savings of Rs 11.51 bn.

Together the projects are projected to support additional freight of 35.72 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and 29.04 MTPA, improve access to tourist destinations and industrial hubs and boost regional opportunities. The measures contribute to national climate goals by lowering CO2 emissions by about 1,803.1 mn kg, equivalent to the plantation of 73.3 mn trees, while improving service reliability for Indian Railways. Stakeholder consultations and integrated planning will guide implementation.