The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved two major railway infrastructure projects worth Rs 64.05 billion (approximately USD 770 million), aimed at enhancing connectivity and freight capacity across Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

The approved projects involve the doubling of the Koderma–Barkakana and Ballari–Chikjajur railway lines, extending the Indian Railways network by 318 kilometres. These upgrades are expected to significantly reduce rail congestion, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen the logistics network in mineral and industrial belts.

The 133-kilometre Koderma–Barkakana line runs through the coal-rich corridor of Jharkhand and is the most direct route between Patna and Ranchi. The 185-kilometre Ballari–Chikjajur section enhances connectivity between Ballari and Chitradurga districts in Karnataka and extends into Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh.

According to the CCEA, the increased track capacity will enable Indian Railways to handle an additional 49 million tonnes of cargo annually. Major beneficiaries include commodities such as coal, iron ore, cement, steel, fertilisers, petroleum products, and agricultural goods.

These projects fall under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which promotes integrated multimodal infrastructure development across India. Together, the rail lines span seven districts and are projected to benefit around 1,408 villages with a combined population of 2.81 million.

In addition to economic and logistical advantages, the Ministry of Railways highlighted the environmental benefits of shifting freight from road to rail. The projects are expected to save approximately 520 million litres of imported oil and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2.64 billion kilograms—equivalent to planting 110 million trees.

The move marks another significant step toward India's goals of sustainable infrastructure development and energy-efficient transport systems.