New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved seven projects of railway ministry with estimated cost of around ₹32,500 Crore, with 100% funding from Central Government.
The proposals of multi-tracking will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways.
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The projects covering 35 districts in nine states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal, will increase the existing network of Indian railways by 2339 Kms. and will provide employment of 7.06 crore man-days to the people of the states.
The projects include doubling of Gorakhpur-Cantt-ValmikiNagar, multi-tracking of Son Nagar-Andal section, building third line on Nergundi-Barang and Khurda Road-Vizianagaram section, doubling of Mudkhed-Medchal and Mahbubnagar-Dhone, Guntur-Bibinagar, Chopan and Chunar sections quadrupling of Samakhiali-Gandhidham section.
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Officials of the railway ministry said these are essential routes for transportation of varied basket of commodities such as foodgrains, fertilizers, coal, cement, fly-ash, iron and finished steel, clinkers, crude oil, lime stone, edible oil etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 200 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and for reducing logistics cost of the country.
The projects are in line with Prime Minister’s vision of a New India, which will make people of the region “Atmanirbhar” by creating multitasking work force in the region and will enhance their employment/self employment opportunities.
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The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti national master plan for multimodel connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.
