Cabinet approves eight multitracking railway projects worth ₹20,804 crore across nine states
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared eight railway multitracking projects costing ₹20,804 crore, adding about 1,196 km of track to be finished by 2029-30.
On Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave the green light to eight railway multitracking schemes with a combined outlay of ₹20,804 crore. The five southern projects, covering Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, total ₹10,021 crore and will add about 540 km of track, improving access for roughly 2,121 villages and 5.2 million people. The three projects in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh amount to ₹10,783 crore and will contribute an additional 656 km, benefiting around 4,790 villages and 5.6 million residents.
All eight schemes fall under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, focusing on multimodal connectivity and logistics. They are projected to generate 74 MTPA of extra freight capacity, reduce oil imports by about 200 million litres and cut carbon emissions by roughly 1 billion kg. The timetable aims for full completion by the 2029-30 financial year.
