Cabinet Clears Rs 64 Billion Rail Projects in Key States

12 Jun 2025 CW Team

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved two major railway infrastructure projects with a combined investment of Rs 64.05 billion. These projects aim to strengthen connectivity and freight movement across key states while supporting the government’s multi-modal logistics strategy.

The approved projects include the 133-kilometre Koderma–Barkakana doubling in Jharkhand and the 185-kilometre Ballari–Chikjajur doubling, spanning Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Together, they will expand the Indian Railways network by 318 kilometres and improve access to approximately 1,408 villages, home to over 2.8 million people.

The Koderma–Barkakana section cuts through a prominent coal-producing region and forms the most efficient rail link between Patna and Ranchi. The Ballari–Chikjajur line, covering districts in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, will significantly decongest existing routes and improve operational efficiency.

These capacity augmentation works are expected to support an additional 49 million tonnes per annum of freight traffic, critical for transporting coal, iron ore, cement, fertilisers, petroleum products and agricultural goods. The initiatives are part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, designed to foster integrated, seamless connectivity for people and goods across India.

The environmental impact is also notable—Indian Railways, being a green and energy-efficient transport mode, will help the country reduce oil imports by an estimated 520 million litres and cut CO₂ emissions by around 2.64 billion kilograms. This is equivalent to planting approximately 110 million trees.

These projects also align with the government’s vision of building an “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) by generating local employment, encouraging self-employment, and promoting inclusive regional development.

Infrastructure Transport

03 Apr 2026

Railways Sets New Records In Passenger And Freight

Indian Railways reported record performance in 2025–26, registering gains in both passenger operations and freight. Passenger carriage rose to 7,410 mn in the year, an increase of 3.54 per cent over 7,160 mn in 2024–25, while passenger revenue increased to Rs 800 bn, up 5.96 per cent from Rs 755 bn. These outcomes reflect improvements in operational efficiency and growing reliance on rail transport for mobility and commerce. Freight loading reached 1,670 mn t in 2025–26, a rise of 3.25 per cent year on year, driven by higher bulk movements and improved logistics. The number of wagons han..

NHAI Reports Robust National Highway Growth in FY 2025-26

The National Highways Authority of India reported continued progress in national highway development during the financial year 2025-26, completing 5,313 km of national highways, which was about 15 per cent higher than the target of 4,640 km for the year. The agency said the construction output reflected sustained project execution across regions and phases. The achievement follows policy priorities to expand connectivity and reduce travel times. The work included upgrades and new corridors intended to improve safety and reduce congestion on key routes. Capital expenditure by the authority for ..

India SDG Dashboard Launched by Ministry of Statistics

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has developed the India Sustainable Development Goals Dashboard in partnership with the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO). The dashboard serves as a centralised data platform for monitoring SDG indicators aligned with the National Indicator Framework (NIF). It provides consolidated access to indicator data to support evidence based planning and monitoring. The platform aims to streamline indicator tracking and support evidence based decision making across levels of government. MoSPI regularly releases a range of s..