The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday approved four key railway multitracking projects worth approximately ₹11,169 crore. These projects, spanning six states and 13 districts, are expected to expand Indian Railways’ network by 574 kilometres and are scheduled for completion by 2028-29.
The projects span 13 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand, and will add around 574 kilometres to the existing railway network. The approved corridors include the fourth line between Itarsi and Nagpur, doubling of the Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)-Parbhani section, and the third and fourth lines on the Aluabari Road-New Jalpaiguri and Dangoaposi-Jaroli routes.
These multitracking works are aligned with the government’s PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, focusing on multi-modal connectivity through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. The enhanced line capacity is expected to alleviate congestion, increase operational efficiency, and provide more reliable services for both freight and passenger trains.
The proposed upgrades will benefit approximately 2,309 villages with a population of about 43.6 lakh and generate an estimated 2.29 crore person-days of direct employment during the construction phase.
The corridors identified are vital freight routes for commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agricultural produce, and petroleum products. The capacity augmentation is projected to handle an additional 95.91 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight traffic.
Beyond economic and logistical benefits, the projects are aligned with India’s climate goals. The railways’ increased capacity is estimated to reduce oil imports by 16 crore litres annually and lower carbon dioxide emissions by 515 crore kilograms – equivalent to planting around 20 crore trees.
