The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved seven railway projects with an estimated cost of ₹32,500 crore. The projects will be funded entirely by the central government.
The projects include:
- Doubling of the Gorakhpur-Cantt-Valmiki Nagar line in Uttar Pradesh
- Multi-tracking of the Son Nagar-Andal line in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
- Construction of a third line on the Nergundi-Barang and Khurda Road-Vizianagaram lines in Andhra Pradesh
- Doubling of the Mudkhed-Medchal and Mahbubnagar-Dhone lines in Telangana
- Doubling of the Guntur-Bibinagar line in Andhra Pradesh
- Doubling of the Chopan-Chunar line in Uttar Pradesh
- Quadrupling of the Samakhiali-Gandhidham line in Gujarat
The projects will increase the existing railway network by 2,339 kilometers and create employment opportunities for 7.06 crore man-days. They will also help to boost freight traffic by 200 million tonnes per annum.
The projects are in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of a “New India” and will help to make the region “Atmanirbhar” by creating a multi-tasking workforce and enhancing employment opportunities.
The projects are also part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity, which aims to create seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services.