Big Rail Infra Push: Cabinet Clears 4 Multitracking Projects
What Happened
The Union Cabinet has approved four railway multitracking projects worth ₹9,450 crore across West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The projects will add about 410 km of new rail lines and include the Kharagpur-Bhadrak, Bhadrak-Haridaspur, Gummidipundi-Gudur, and Cuttack-Paradeep corridors. The projects are targeted for completion by 2030-31.
Key Takeaways
The capacity expansion is aimed at reducing rail congestion, improving passenger and freight movement, and strengthening logistics connectivity along the crucial Howrah-Chennai corridor. The projects are expected to benefit around 6,448 villages, improve access to key tourist destinations, and support the movement of commodities such as coal, iron ore, steel, automobiles and foodgrains.