Cabinet Approves Eight Railway Projects Worth ₹20,804 Crore, Adding 1,196 km
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) approved eight multi-tracking projects of Indian Railways with a combined cost of ₹20,804 crore. These projects, spread across six states, are expected to add 1,196 km to the existing railway network, according to a statement from the Ministry of Railways. Multi-tracking involves laying additional lines on existing routes to reduce congestion and enhance capacity.
Five of the approved projects are in southern India. These include the Arakkonam–Renigunta third and fourth lines (77 km), the Whitefield–Bangarapet third and fourth lines (47 km), the Hosur–Omalur line doubling (147 km), the Salem–Karur–Dindigul doubling (159 km), and the Secunderabad (Ghatkesar)–Kazipet multi-tracking project (110 km). These lines are located in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.
The remaining three projects pertain to the eastern and central parts of the country: the Kharagpur–Jharsuguda (Bagdehi) fourth line, the Katni–Pendra Road fourth line, and the Bilaspur (Uslapur)–Pendra Road third line. They will extend across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
According to the official release, the southern projects pass through 17 districts and are expected to improve connectivity for about 2,121 villages with a population of roughly 52 lakh. The three eastern and central projects will serve about 4,790 villages, home to an estimated 56 lakh people.
The government said the capacity enhancement would make it easier to reach several prominent religious and tourist destinations. In the south, these include the Tirupati temple complex, Kolar Gold Fields, Hogenakkal Falls, Kodaikanal Hills, and the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary. In the east and central regions, the improved network is expected to benefit visitors to the Taratarini Temple, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Amarkantak, and Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, among others.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the approved routes are essential for the movement of key commodities such as coal, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles, food grains, petroleum products, and fertilisers. The ministry said the capacity augmentation would lead to additional freight traffic of 47 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) from the southern projects and 27 MTPA from the eastern and central projects, bringing the total incremental capacity to 74 MTPA. The projects will also provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services, it added.
The projects are being planned under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which seeks to coordinate infrastructure investments across ministries and improve multi-modal logistics. The ministry said the planning process involved integrated consultations with all stakeholders. The announcement did not specify the expected completion dates for the projects.
