Cabinet Approves Two Rail Multitracking Projects

13 Mar 2026 CW Team

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved two multitracking projects under the Ministry of Railways that will cover five districts of West Bengal and Jharkhand and increase the Indian Railways network by about 192 kilometres.

The projects carry a total estimated cost of Rs 44,740 million (Rs 44,740 mn) and are expected to be completed by fiscal year 2030–31. The schemes comprise the Sainthia–Pakur fourth line and the Santragachi–Kharagpur fourth line and are intended to enhance line capacity, operational efficiency and service reliability.

The proposals are designed to streamline operations and alleviate congestion while supporting the Prime Minister's vision of a new India and the aim of making the region self-reliant through wider employment and self-employment opportunities. The projects have been planned under the PM?Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on multi-modal connectivity and integrated logistics planning, and they will provide improved connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.

The approved works are expected to connect about 5,652 villages, which together have a population of about 14.7 million (14.7 mn). The capacity augmentation will support transportation of commodities such as coal, stone, dolomite, cement, slag, gypsum, iron and steel, foodgrains, petroleum, oil and lubricants and containers, and is projected to generate additional freight traffic of 31 million tonnes per annum (31 mn t per annum).

The Railways being an environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transport will contribute to lowering logistics costs, reducing oil imports by 60 million litres (60 mn litres) and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 280 million kilogrammes (280 mn kg), an outcome equated with the plantation of 10 million trees (10 mn trees). The Ministry of Railways will implement the works through detailed planning and stakeholder consultations to enhance multimodal logistics efficiency and service reliability.

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