The Union Cabinet has given the nod for four railway projects with a total cost of Rs 18,658 crore covering 15 districts in Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh and increasing the existing network of Indian Railways by about 1,247 km.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the four projects.

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These projects include, Sambalpur – Jarapda 3rd and 4th Line; Jharsuguda – Sason 3rd and 4th Line; Kharsia – Naya Raipur – Parmalkasa 5th and 6th Line; and Gondia – Balharshah doubling.

With these projects 19 New Stations will be constructed, enhancing connectivity to Two Aspirational Districts (Gadchiroli and Rajnandgaon). Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx. 3350 villages and about 47.25 lakh population.

Kharsia – Naya Raipur – Parmalkasa will provide direct connectivity to new areas such as Baloda Bazar, this will create possibilities for setting up of new industrial units including cement plants in the region.

The Cabinet Committee believed that these projects are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertilizer, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, limestone etc.

As per the statement shared by the government, the capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 88.77 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).

The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (95 crore litres) and lower CO2 emissions (477 Crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 19 Crore trees.

The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.