The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved four major railway infrastructure projects proposed by the Ministry of Railways, involving a total investment of Rs 186.58 billion. These projects aim to expand the Indian Railways network by approximately 1,247 km across 15 districts in Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. The approved projects include the construction of the 3rd and 4th railway lines between Sambalpur and Jarapda, and between Jharsuguda and Sason, the 5th and 6th lines on the Kharsia–Naya Raipur–Parmalkasa section, and the doubling of the Gondia–Balharshah route. These initiatives are aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which emphasizes integrated and multi-modal connectivity. The developments will enhance freight and passenger movement by improving capacity and operational efficiency along key rail corridors. They will also support the creation of 19 new railway stations and strengthen connectivity in two Aspirational Districts—Gadchiroli and Rajnandgaon. Improved access is expected to benefit approximately 3,350 villages and nearly 4.72 million people. The Kharsia–Naya Raipur–Parmalkasa route is expected to offer direct connectivity to new regions such as Baloda Bazar, which could encourage the growth of industrial clusters, including cement manufacturing units. These projects are crucial for the transportation of essential commodities such as agricultural produce, fertilizers, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, and limestone. They are projected to handle an additional 88.77 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight traffic. In addition to boosting economic activity, the projects are expected to contribute to India’s environmental goals by reducing logistics costs, decreasing oil imports by 950 million litres, and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 4.77 billion kilograms—equivalent to planting 190 million trees. News source: Business Standard