Cabinet approves three multitracking projects covering 14 Districts across the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, increasing the existing network of Indian Railways by about 656 Kms

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved three railway multi-tracking projects covering 14 districts across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Valued at an estimated cost of Rs. 10,783 crore and planned for completion by 2029-30, the projects will expand the Indian Railways network by approximately 656 km. The initiative includes the Kharagpur–Jharsuguda (Bagdehi) 4th Line, Katni–Pendra Road 4th Line, and Bilaspur (Uslapur)–Pendra Road 3rd Line. Aligned with the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the projects aim to improve operational efficiency, alleviate congestion, provide seamless multi-modal connectivity, and enhance freight traffic capacity by 27 Million Tonnes Per Annum for commodities like coal, iron, steel, and cement.