The government has cleared eight railway multitracking projects involving an investment of over 20 thousand 800 crore rupees. The projects are aimed at increasing line capacity, improving operational efficiency and easing congestion on key routes.
Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting yesterday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, three projects, costing over 10 thousand 783 crore rupees, will cover 14 districts across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, adding about 656 kilometres to the existing railway network. These include the Kharagpur-Jharsuguda fourth line, Katni-Pendra Road fourth line and Bilaspur-Pendra Road third line. They are planned for completion by 2029-30.
The other five projects, at the cost of nearly 10 thousand 21 crore rupees, will cover 17 districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, adding about 540 kilometres to the network. These include the Arakkonam-Renigunta third and fourth lines, Whitefield-Bangarapet third and fourth lines, and doubling of the Hosur-Omalur line. The projects will enhance connectivity to around two thousand one hundred villages with a population of about 52 lakh.
Mr Vaishnaw also said the government has decided to quadruple all seven high-density railway corridors, covering around 11 thousand kilometres. These include Delhi-Howrah, Mumbai-Howrah, Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Guwahati, Delhi-Chennai, Howrah-Chennai and Mumbai-Chennai.
Four-lining of 2,000 kilometres has already been completed.
On the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project, Mr Vaishnaw said the service will commence next year. He said construction is progressing rapidly and the initial 100-kilometre section from Surat to Vapi will be opened.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the Cabinet decisions on the railway multitracking projects will ensure faster passenger movement, stronger connectivity and additional freight capacity. He said the projects will strengthen rail connectivity in South India and benefit lakhs of people.
The Prime Minister also said the multitracking projects will expand the railway network and improve connectivity across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. He said the projects will also promote tourism, particularly heritage and wildlife tourism, and help reduce logistics costs.
