Cabinet Approves Rs 13,041-Crore Rail and Highway Projects to Boost Connectivity Across 5 States
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved four railway multi-tracking projects and a national highway expansion project across five states, with a combined cost of around Rs 13,041 crore. The approvals aim to improve connectivity, reduce logistics costs, and enhance travel efficiency for both passengers and freight.
The railway projects are located in West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Together, they will add about 410 km to the Indian Railways network. All four projects are scheduled to be completed by 2030-31. The planned additions will increase line capacity on these routes, allowing for more trains to operate.
The specific projects include a 173-km fourth line between Kharagpur and Bhadrak (Ranital), a 75-km fourth line between Bhadrak and Haridaspur, 90 km of third and fourth lines between Gummidipundi and Gudur, and 72 km of third and fourth lines between Cuttack and Paradeep. These sections are part of busy rail corridors that handle significant passenger and freight traffic.
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said that the expansion will boost operational efficiency and service reliability. He said Indian Railways will be able to run more passenger and freight trains, which is expected to benefit commuters, businesses, and the broader economy.
Multi-tracking projects like these are seen as crucial for decongesting overcrowded routes. By adding extra lines, railways can separate slower freight trains from faster passenger trains, reducing delays and improving punctuality. This will also support the movement of goods, particularly in industrial and port-linked regions.
The highway project approved by the Cabinet pertains to the expansion of an 83-km stretch of the Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa corridor on National Highway 22 in Bihar. The project involves upgrading the road to four lanes and is expected to be completed within 30 months. It will be implemented as part of the government's ongoing national highway development programme.
Once completed, the expansion will reduce travel time on the corridor from two hours to about one hour. It will also improve access to key religious sites, including Baba Garibnath Temple in Muzaffarpur and Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi. Better road connectivity is expected to support tourism and ease commuting for local residents.
The total investment of Rs 13,041 crore covers both the railway and highway components. Such infrastructure projects are important for reducing logistics costs, which is a key factor in making Indian products more competitive. They are also likely to create employment opportunities during the construction phase and spur economic activity in the regions concerned.
With these approvals, the government continues its push to modernise India's transportation network. The combined rail and road upgrades are intended to facilitate smoother movement of people and goods, contributing to faster regional development and improved quality of life. The Cabinet's decision marks another step in the ongoing efforts to strengthen the country's infrastructure, which is vital for long-term economic growth.
