The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved two key railway infrastructure projects totalling Rs 27.81 billion in Gujarat and Maharashtra, aimed at enhancing capacity, reducing congestion and improving passenger and freight movement across busy corridors.

The first project covers the doubling of the 141 km Devbhumi Dwarka (Okha)–Kanalus section, a move expected to strengthen travel access to the Dwarkadhish Temple and accelerate development across the Saurashtra belt. The second involves constructing the 3rd and 4th lines between Badlapur and Karjat over 32 km, a vital addition to the Mumbai suburban system. Officials said the upgraded stretch will ease growing commuter pressure while allowing smoother freight operations. The corridor handles essential cargo such as coal, salt, cement, petroleum products and containers, and with the new lines in place, capacity could rise by nearly 18 million tonne annually.

Together, the two projects will expand the national railway network by 224 km, benefiting around 585 villages with a combined population of 3.2 million through improved service reliability and reduced bottlenecks.

In a parallel decision, the Cabinet approved two more corridors under Phase 2 of the Pune Metro. These include Line 4 (Kharadi–Hadapsar–Swargate–Khadakwasla) and Line 4A (Nal Stop–Warje–Manik Baug). The new routes together span 31.636 km with 28 elevated stations, connecting major IT parks, business zones, residential clusters and key educational institutions in East, South and West Pune.

Estimated at Rs 98.57 billion, the project is slated for completion in five years. Once finished, Pune Metro’s network will exceed 100 km, marking a significant leap in the city’s mass rapid transit capacity.

News source: Business Standard