Union Cabinet Oks 4 Railway Projects Worth Rs 12,328 Crore to Up Connectivity, Boost Econ Growth

The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved four railway projects worth approximately Rs 12,328 crore, a government release said. These projects aim to ensure seamless and faster transportation of both passengers and goods, providing connectivity and improving travel convenience while reducing logistic costs and dependence on oil imports.

The four projects approved by the Union Cabinet include Deshalpar–Hajipir–Luna and Vayor–Lakhpat New Line, Secunderabad (Sanathnagar)–Wadi 3rd and 4th Line, Bhagalpur–Jamalpur 3rd Line, and Furkating–New Tinsukia Doubling.

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The Deshalpar–Hajipir–Luna and Vayor–Lakhpat New Line project will add 145 route km and 164 track km to the existing railway network in Gujarat, benefiting 866 villages and about 16 lakh population. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 2,526 crore, and it is expected to be completed in three years.

Secunderabad (Sanathnagar)–Wadi 3rd and 4th Line project will enhance connectivity to approximately 3,108 villages and about 47.34 lakh population, benefiting the states of Karnataka, Telangana, and one Aspirational District (Kalaburagi). The estimated cost of the project is Rs 5,012 crore, and it is expected to be completed in five years.

The Bhagalpur–Jamalpur 3rd line project will be completed in three years at an estimated cost of Rs 1,156 crore.

The Furkating–New Tinsukia Doubling project will be completed in four years at an estimated cost of Rs 3,634 crore.

While the projects will enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways, the schemes will generate direct employment for about 251 lakh human-days during construction.

The projects will contribute to lower CO2 emissions, supporting sustainable and efficient rail operations, and will also optimise supply chains, facilitating accelerated economic growth and reducing logistics costs.

The projects are planned on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, focusing on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations.

The projects will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 565 km, enabling the transportation of essential commodities such as coal, cement, and steel.