The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved two multitracking projects for Indian Railways, with an estimated cost of Rs 33.99 billion. The projects are scheduled for completion by FY30 and aim to facilitate faster transportation of both passenger and freight traffic.

According to an official statement, the two projects will span four districts across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, expanding the Indian Railways network by approximately 176 km. The statement noted that these initiatives are part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multimodal connectivity. It added that the projects were made possible through integrated planning and are expected to offer seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services.

The planned multitracking works are projected to improve connectivity to around 784 villages, which collectively have a population of nearly 2 million. The routes involved are considered vital for the transportation of commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agricultural products, and petroleum goods.

Estimates suggest that the additional infrastructure will enable the railways to handle an extra 18.4 million tonnes (MT) of freight annually. In FY25, Indian Railways transported 1,617.38 MT of freight, marking a 1.68 per cent increase over the previous financial year.

These initiatives are anticipated to enhance travel convenience, reduce logistics costs, lower oil imports, and contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The statement further mentioned that the projects are expected to improve logistical efficiency by increasing line capacity along key freight corridors. This, in turn, should help optimise supply chains and support accelerated economic growth.

In recent months, Indian Railways has initiated several infrastructure projects, including the addition of new lines and doubling of existing tracks. For example, in April, the CCEA, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared four railway projects worth Rs 186.58 billion, aimed at expanding the network by around 1,247 km. Earlier in FY24, the cabinet had approved 11 railway projects with a total investment of Rs 325.84 billion. For FY26, the Union Budget maintained the capital expenditure allocation for Indian Railways at Rs 2.65 trillion, consistent with the revised estimates for FY25.

News source: Financial Express