Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the Cabinet's decision to approve three railway projects with a total estimated cost of Rs 6,456 crore, saying these would greatly benefit Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
According to the railway ministry, these projects will improve logistical efficiency by connecting the unconnected areas, increasing the existing line capacity, and enhancing the transportation networks, resulting in streamlined supply chains and accelerated economic growth.
"The three new railways related projects approved by the Cabinet today will greatly benefit Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. The benefits include seamless transportation of goods and easier travel for passengers," Modi said on X.
Earlier, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Modi, approved the three projects with a total estimated cost of Rs 6,456 crore.
"The new line proposals will provide direct connectivity and improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for the Indian Railways. The multi-tracking proposal will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across the Indian Railways," the ministry said.
"The projects are in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s vision of a New India which will make people of the region 'Atmanirbhar' by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities," it added.
According to the ministry, the projects are the result of the PM-Gati-Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which has been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services.
"The three projects covering seven districts in four states i.e., Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 300 kms," the ministry said.
"With these projects, 14 new stations will be constructed, providing enhanced connectivity to two aspirational districts (Nuapada and East Singhbum)," it added.
Highlighting the benefits of the new line projects, the ministry stated these would provide connectivity to approximately 1,300 villages and about 11 lakh population.
"Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approximately 1,300 villages and about 19 lakh population," it said.
The ministry also emphasized the benefits to the freight traffic as these were essential routes for the transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertilizer, coal, iron ore, steel, cement limestone etc.
"The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 45 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum)," it said.
"The Railways being an environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (10 crore litres) and lower CO2 emissions (240 crore kg) which is equivalent to the plantation of 9.7 crore trees," it added.
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