Cabinet Approves Three Railway Multi-Tracking Projects Worth Rs 10,783 Crore Across Five States

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved three major railway multi-tracking projects with a combined investment of Rs 10,783 crore, aimed at easing congestion, improving connectivity and strengthening the reliability of train services.

The projects, targeted for completion by 2029-30, will cover 14 districts across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and add around 656 km to the existing railway network, according to an official statement.

The approved projects are the Kharagpur-Jharsuguda (Bagdehi) fourth line, the Katni-Pendra Road fourth line and the Bilaspur (Uslapur)-Pendra Road third line.

These routes are strategically important for the movement of key commodities, including coal, cement, iron and steel. The expansion is expected to significantly increase the railway network’s freight-handling capacity and facilitate an additional 27 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight traffic.

The government said the projects would also deliver environmental benefits by encouraging a shift towards rail-based transportation, which is more energy-efficient than road transport.

According to the official statement, the expanded rail capacity is expected to help save around 12 crore litres of oil and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 62 crore kg. The reduction in emissions is equivalent to the environmental benefit of planting around 2.48 crore trees.

The projects are also expected to improve rail access to several important tourist and religious destinations, including Taratarini Temple, Shri Khetra Jagannath Temple near Jharsuguda, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Virateshwar Temple, Amarkantak Temple, Jwaleshwar Dham, Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, Khutaghat Dam, the Malhar archaeological site and Ratanpur Mahamaya Temple.

The additional tracks are expected to allow smoother movement of passenger and freight trains, reduce bottlenecks on busy routes and improve overall operational efficiency and service reliability.

Beyond transportation, the government said the projects would contribute to comprehensive regional development by improving access, creating employment and self-employment opportunities and supporting economic activity in the districts covered by the expansion.

The projects are part of the government’s broader infrastructure push under Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a “New India”, with improved connectivity being positioned as a key driver of regional development and greater economic self-reliance.