Cabinet Approves Four Multi-Tracking Rail Projects Worth ₹9,450 Crore

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved four major multi-tracking railway projects of the Ministry of Railways with a combined estimated cost of around ₹9,450 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the projects will provide a major boost to railway infrastructure and connectivity across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The expansion is expected to increase the capacity of the Indian Railways network and benefit lakhs of people. Four Projects Approved The approved projects include: Kharagpur–Bhadrak (Ranitall) Fourth Line: 173 km across West Bengal and Odisha Bhadrak–Haridaspur Fourth Line: 75 km in Odisha Gummidipundi–Gudur Third and Fourth Lines: 90 km across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu Cuttack–Paradip (Barabandha) Third and Fourth Lines: 72 km in Odisha Together, the four projects will cover eight districts across four states and add approximately 410 km to the existing Indian Railways network. The projects are expected to improve connectivity for around 6,448 villages, with a combined population of nearly 60 lakh people. According to PM Modi, the expansion will strengthen passenger and freight movement, reduce congestion on railway routes and improve logistics capacity. It is also expected to create a boost for trade, tourism and employment opportunities. Better Connectivity to Tourist and Religious Destinations The proposed capacity enhancement is expected to improve rail connectivity to several important tourist and religious destinations. These include Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, Maa Bhadrakali Temple, Maa Dhamrai Temple, Panchalingeswar Temple, Talsari-Udaipur and Chandipur beaches, Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Bhagwan Veeraraghava Perumal Temple, Gada Kujanga Jagannath Temple, Sarala Temple, Dhabaleswar Temple and Lalitgiri, a Buddhist site, among several other destinations. Freight Capacity Expected to Rise The railway routes covered by the projects are important for transporting commodities such as coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles and foodgrains. Once the projects are completed, the freight handling capacity of the railways is expected to increase by around 76 million tonnes annually. According to the government, the projects have been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which aims to strengthen multimodal connectivity and improve logistics efficiency. Fuel Savings and Lower Carbon Emissions The projects are also expected to deliver environmental benefits. They are estimated to save around 130 million litres of fuel annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 650 million kilograms. The government has stated that the estimated reduction in carbon dioxide emissions would be equivalent to planting around 26 million trees.