Cabinet Approves ₹6,405 Crore Railway Multitracking Projects to Boost Connectivity and Freight Efficiency
New Delhi : In a major infrastructure push aimed at enhancing rail connectivity and boosting freight movement, the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved two significant railway multitracking projects spanning a combined length of 318 kilometres. The projects, spread across seven districts in Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, are estimated to cost ₹6,405 crore.
The first project involves the doubling of the 133-kilometre Koderma ; Barkakana rail line in Jharkhand, a critical coal-producing belt and a vital link between Patna and Ranchi. The second project will see the doubling of the 185-kilometre stretch between Ballari and Chikjajur, passing through the Ballari and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka and the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
These routes are strategically important for the transportation of bulk commodities, including coal, iron ore, steel, cement, fertilizers, petroleum products, and agricultural goods. The doubling of these single-line sections is expected to significantly ease congestion, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure smoother, more reliable rail services.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the projects will generate approximately 108 lakh human-days of direct employment during construction. Moreover, they are expected to boost freight capacity by 49 million tonnes annually. This increased capacity will contribute to reducing logistics costs and oil imports, with an estimated savings of 52 crore litres of fuel.
The projects are also poised to deliver significant environmental benefits, with a projected reduction of 264 crore kilograms in carbon dioxide emissions ; equivalent to the impact of planting around 11 crore trees.
Furthermore, the upgraded lines will improve rail connectivity for nearly 1,408 villages, benefiting a combined population of about 28.19 lakh people. The Railway Ministry emphasized that these developments align with the goals of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which aims to foster integrated and seamless multi-modal connectivity across India.
The government’s decision marks another step toward building a robust and sustainable transportation infrastructure to meet the growing demands of India’s economy and environment.
