Rs 1.1 Trillion Rail Projects Approved to Boost Connectivity

01 Aug 2025 CW Team

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved four major railway infrastructure projects worth approximately Rs 1.12 trillion. These projects, under the Ministry of Railways, aim to enhance capacity, improve mobility, and strengthen logistics efficiency across multiple states.

The approved projects include:

1. Itarsi–Nagpur Fourth Line

2. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar–Parbhani Doubling

3. Aluabari Road–New Jalpaiguri Third and Fourth Line

4. Dangoaposi–Jaroli Third and Fourth Line

Together, these projects will expand the Indian Railways network by around 574 kilometres, impacting 13 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand. The upgraded lines are expected to significantly boost operational efficiency and service reliability by reducing congestion and streamlining freight and passenger movement.

Implemented under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the projects focus on enhancing multimodal connectivity and logistics performance through integrated planning. They will connect approximately 2,309 villages with a combined population of around 4.36 million, thereby supporting local economies and self-reliance through improved transport links and employment opportunities.

These routes are crucial for the transport of key commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agricultural goods, and petroleum products. The capacity enhancements are projected to accommodate an additional 95.91 million tonnes of freight annually.

The shift towards rail—an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient mode of transport—is expected to reduce logistics costs, cut oil imports by 1.6 billion litres, and lower carbon emissions by 5.15 billion kilograms, equivalent to planting 2 billion trees.

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