Cabinet clears 4 railway multitracking projects worth Rs 9,450 crore across 4 states: Key details

The projects are expected to add 410 km to the railway network, connect 6,448 villages and enable 76 million tonnes of additional freight traffic annually.

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved five infrastructure projects worth a total of Rs 13,041 crore, including four railway multitracking projects costing Rs 9,450 crore and the four-laning of an 82.6-km section of NH-22 in Bihar at a capital cost of Rs 3,590.73 crore.The four railway projects will add about 410 km to the existing Indian Railways network and cover eight districts across West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The projects are expected to ease congestion, improve passenger and freight movement and enhance connectivity to nearly 6,448 villages with a combined population of around 60 lakh.The highway project will upgrade the Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa section of NH-22 to four-lane standards, strengthening connectivity between the India-Nepal border and major economic centres in Bihar. The project will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).The Cabinet decisions, approved under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are expected to improve logistics efficiency, regional connectivity and movement of goods and passengers.

Rs 9,450 crore worth railway projects approved

The four railway projects approved by the Cabinet are:

The projects are scheduled to be completed by 2030-31 and are expected to facilitate an additional 76 million tonnes of freight traffic annually. The routes are important for the transportation of coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles and foodgrains.Speaking about the projects, Cabinet Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Howrah-Chennai route is one of the country’s key railway main lines. “If we understand the importance of the first set of projects, the Howrah-Chennai route is a very important main line,” Vaishnaw said during the Cabinet briefing.He said Projects 1, 2 and 3 are on the Howrah-Chennai line, while Project 4 is on the Paradip-Cuttack section. “So, from Howrah to Chennai, we will ultimately have a complete quadrupled, four-line route. This will allow us to operate many more trains. It will also facilitate the movement of cargo and make maintenance easier,” he added.The projects are also said to improve connectivity to several tourist destinations, including Bhitarkanika National Park, Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandipur Beach, Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary and Lalitgiri.According to the Railways, the increased capacity is expected to reduce oil imports by around 13 crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by around 65 crore kg.

Rs 3,591 crore highway project to connect Bihar with Nepal border

The Cabinet also approved the upgradation of the Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa section of NH-22 to four-lane standards in Bihar. The 82.578-km project will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a total capital cost of Rs 3,590.73 crore.The highway will serve as a key feeder corridor connecting the India-Nepal border at Sonbarsa with Muzaffarpur and NH-27, which forms part of the East-West Corridor. It is expected to reduce congestion in densely populated areas including Muzaffarpur, Muksudpur, Runni Saidpur, Thumma, Dumra, Bhutahi and Sonbarsa.The project has been designed for a maximum speed of 100 kmph, with an average speed of 80 kmph, and will have no at-grade median openings to facilitate safer and faster movement.The highway will include seven major bridges, including a 340-metre bridge over the perennial Bagmati River, three railway overbridges and two flyovers measuring 1,170 metres and 270 metres.The upgraded corridor is also expected to improve access to five PM Gati-Shakti economic nodes, including four industrial estates and a Mega Food Park, along with railway stations at Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi.The project will strengthen cross-border passenger and cargo movement through the nearby Bhithamore Land Port and improve connectivity to cultural and religious destinations including the Buddhist Circuit and Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi.The government said the project is expected to reduce travel time, improve road safety and fuel efficiency, lower vehicle operating costs and support agricultural supply chains and regional economic growth.