Govt Clears ₹20,800 Crore Rail Expansion Plan, 1,200 km of New Tracks Coming
What Happened
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved 8 railway projects worth ₹20,800 crore to expand rail capacity across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The projects include new lines, doubling, and third/fourth-line works, adding nearly 1,200 km to India's rail network by 2029-30 and improving connectivity for over 6,900 villages.
Key Takeaways
The projects aim to ease congestion on some of India's busiest rail corridors, improve passenger and freight movement, and lower logistics costs. The government estimates they will enable 74 million tonnes of additional freight traffic annually, boost connectivity to tourism and industrial hubs, and support economic growth under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.