NPG Reviews Key Road and Rail Projects to Boost Connectivity

02 May 2025 CW Team

The NPG evaluated four key proposals — one from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and three from the Ministry of Railways (MoR). These projects were assessed for their integration with PM GatiShakti’s core tenets, including seamless multimodal infrastructure, last-mile connectivity, and a comprehensive development strategy. The initiatives are expected to improve freight movement, reduce transit time, and generate wide-ranging socio-economic benefits.

Six/Four-Lane Access-Controlled Highway – Rishikesh Bypass

MoRTH, through the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has proposed the construction of a bypass around Rishikesh to ease traffic congestion and improve flow on NH-34. The route connects major religious and industrial hubs such as Haridwar, Dehradun, BHEL, SIDCUL, and critical border areas like Mana, Nelang, and Niti. The project includes a combination of a 6/4-lane elevated corridor and an additional 4-lane road to accommodate future traffic growth and enhance capacity.

Rail Sector Proposals:

1. Bina–Itarsi Fourth Railway Line (236.97 km)

This proposal aims to add a fourth railway line along the Bina–Itarsi section, passing through key stations such as Bhopal, Rani Kamalapati, and Vidisha. Covering 32 stations, the project is expected to reduce travel time by around 46 minutes and improve sectional speeds by 10 km/h, significantly enhancing freight logistics.

2. Kasara–Manmad Multi-Tracking (Third and Fourth Lines, 2×130.8 km)

This initiative involves dual tracking across two segments: Kasara–Igatpuri in the Northeastern Ghats and Igatpuri–Manmad in the Deccan Plateau. The project targets a ruling gradient of 1 in 100, eliminating the need for banking locomotives, and increasing energy and operational efficiency. The realigned route merges with the mainline at Lahavit station, reducing delays and enhancing throughput.

3. Bhusawal–Wardha Third and Fourth Lines (314 km)

Covering five districts in Maharashtra — Jalgaon, Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, and Wardha — this project proposes additional tracks, station upgrades, and signalling modernisation. Located along the Mumbai–Howrah high-density corridor (HDN-2), the development is vital for easing freight congestion and strengthening the Central Railway zone.

The meeting was chaired by Shri Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The projects reviewed are aligned with India’s broader infrastructure strategy to enable faster, integrated, and sustainable economic growth.

Your next big infra connection is waiting at RAHSTA 2025 – Asia’s Biggest Roads & Highways Expo, Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. Don’t miss out!

The 92nd meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) was held in New Delhi to review major infrastructure proposals in the road and railway sectors. The session focused on promoting multimodal connectivity and improving logistics efficiency under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS NMP).The NPG evaluated four key proposals — one from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and three from the Ministry of Railways (MoR). These projects were assessed for their integration with PM GatiShakti’s core tenets, including seamless multimodal infrastructure, last-mile connectivity, and a comprehensive development strategy. The initiatives are expected to improve freight movement, reduce transit time, and generate wide-ranging socio-economic benefits.Six/Four-Lane Access-Controlled Highway – Rishikesh BypassMoRTH, through the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has proposed the construction of a bypass around Rishikesh to ease traffic congestion and improve flow on NH-34. The route connects major religious and industrial hubs such as Haridwar, Dehradun, BHEL, SIDCUL, and critical border areas like Mana, Nelang, and Niti. The project includes a combination of a 6/4-lane elevated corridor and an additional 4-lane road to accommodate future traffic growth and enhance capacity.Rail Sector Proposals:1. Bina–Itarsi Fourth Railway Line (236.97 km)This proposal aims to add a fourth railway line along the Bina–Itarsi section, passing through key stations such as Bhopal, Rani Kamalapati, and Vidisha. Covering 32 stations, the project is expected to reduce travel time by around 46 minutes and improve sectional speeds by 10 km/h, significantly enhancing freight logistics.2. Kasara–Manmad Multi-Tracking (Third and Fourth Lines, 2×130.8 km)This initiative involves dual tracking across two segments: Kasara–Igatpuri in the Northeastern Ghats and Igatpuri–Manmad in the Deccan Plateau. The project targets a ruling gradient of 1 in 100, eliminating the need for banking locomotives, and increasing energy and operational efficiency. The realigned route merges with the mainline at Lahavit station, reducing delays and enhancing throughput.3. Bhusawal–Wardha Third and Fourth Lines (314 km)Covering five districts in Maharashtra — Jalgaon, Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, and Wardha — this project proposes additional tracks, station upgrades, and signalling modernisation. Located along the Mumbai–Howrah high-density corridor (HDN-2), the development is vital for easing freight congestion and strengthening the Central Railway zone.The meeting was chaired by Shri Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The projects reviewed are aligned with India’s broader infrastructure strategy to enable faster, integrated, and sustainable economic growth.

Infrastructure Energy

08 Sep 2025

BGR Tech–Collabrah Wins Rs 530.5 Mn Project from Oil India

BGR Tech, in partnership with Collabrah India, has secured a Rs 530.5 million contract from Oil India (OIL) for the deployment of six Surface Production Facilities (SPFs) across OIL’s operational zones in Assam. The three-year project includes a Framework Agreement, allowing for the provision of additional units if required. The collaboration leverages BGR Tech’s engineering expertise and Collabrah’s execution capabilities to support OIL India’s production expansion plans in line with the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas’s vision for domestic energy growth. Following this win, BG..

Infrastructure Energy

08 Sep 2025

Rosatom Showcases Nuclear Energy Solutions at POWERGEN India 2025

Representatives of Rosatom participated in the international forum POWERGEN India & Indian Utility Week 2025, held in New Delhi from September 2–4. As part of the event, a panel discussion titled “Reinventing Atomic Energy for a Net Zero Future” featured industry leaders from Rosatom, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), NTPC Ltd, and other energy experts.Ekaterina Astashina, Rosatom’s Business Development Manager for South Asia, highlighted the importance of nuclear energy in achieving decarbonisation goals and shared Rosatom’s experience in India.“Through the ..

Building Material

08 Sep 2025

Assam Govt Defends Land Allotment to Cement Firm in Dima Hasao

The Assam government has informed the Gauhati High Court that the allotment of 3,000 bighas of land in Dima Hasao district to Mahabal Cement for setting up a cement factory was carried out in accordance with the “due process of law.”Appearing before the court, Advocate General Devajit Saikia submitted a report prepared by a three-member committee, which examined the land allotment, its suitability and potential implications.Saikia clarified that the cement company, part of the Trivikram Consortium, had sought 6,000 bighas, of which 3,000 bighas were allotted by the autonomous council in tw..