Indian Railways approves two key rail infrastructure projects worth over Rs 1,950 crore

Indian Railways has approved two major rail infrastructure projects, the Kiul-Jhajha 3rd Line Project in Bihar and the Arakkonam-Chengalpattu Doubling Project in Tamil Nadu, with a combined investment of over Rs 1,950 crore aimed at enhancing network capacity, improving operational efficiency and strengthening passenger as well as freight movement across key corridors.

The 54-km Kiul-Jhajha 3rd Line Project has been approved at a cost of Rs 962 crore. The project forms part of the high-density Howrah-Delhi corridor and is expected to improve connectivity between Patna and Kolkata while supporting freight operations linked to major industrial and logistics hubs in Northern and Eastern India.

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Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The project will significantly enhance capacity on the heavily utilised Howrah-Delhi route and improve punctuality and operational flexibility of train services. He added that the additional line infrastructure will facilitate seamless movement of passenger and freight trains and support industrial growth and trade connectivity in the region.”

The existing double-line section between Kiul and Jhajha is operating beyond optimal capacity utilisation, while traffic demand on the corridor is expected to rise further in the coming years. The additional third line is expected to reduce congestion and enable smoother movement of trains, the Ministry of Railways said in a statement.

The corridor also serves as a critical connectivity link between Kolkata and Haldia ports and Raxaul-Nepal, while handling substantial freight traffic associated with key industrial establishments such as Barh STPP, Jawahar STPP and Birganj ICD.

In a separate development, Indian Railways has also approved the 68-km Arakkonam-Chengalpattu Doubling Project of Southern Railway at a cost of Rs 993 crore. The section is part of the Chennai suburban circular rail network connecting Chennai Beach, Tambaram, Chengalpattu and Arakkonam.

Minister Vaishnaw said the doubling project will help ease congestion on the busy Chennai suburban rail network and improve punctuality and operational efficiency. He noted that the project will strengthen both passenger and freight movement, benefiting transportation of commodities including cement, automobiles, food grains, iron and steel.

The existing single-line section is currently operating at a high level of capacity utilisation, and traffic demand is expected to increase further in the coming years. The doubling work is expected to reduce train detention time, improve punctuality and increase the frequency of suburban services, the statement read.

The route caters to several major industrial and economic hubs, including Mahindra World City, Sriperumbudur, Oragadam and Irungattukottai, apart from key automobile, cement and manufacturing industries. The proposed Parandur Airport project near Kancheepuram is also located close to the alignment, adding strategic importance to the route.