Railway Projects Worth Rs 20,804 Crore Approved Across 9 States to Ease Congestion

The Union Cabinet has approved eight railway multi-tracking projects worth ₹20,804 crore across nine states, in a major infrastructure push aimed at reducing congestion and improving the movement of passengers and freight. The projects, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday, will add around 1,196 km of railway tracks across 31 districts. The government has targeted completion by the financial year 2029-30.

The projects will be implemented in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. Of the total investment, three projects worth around ₹10,783 crore will add approximately 656 km of tracks across five states. These include the fourth line between Kharagpur and Jharsuguda, the fourth line between Katni and Pendra Road, and a third line between Bilaspur (Uslapur) and Pendra Road.

Another five projects, estimated at about ₹10,021 crore, will add nearly 540 km of tracks across southern states. These include additional lines on the Arakkonam-Renigunta and Whitefield-Bangarapet routes, along with doubling works between Hosur-Omalur and Salem-Karur-Dindigul. Multi-tracking between Secunderabad (Ghatkesar) and Kazipet is also part of the approval.

According to the government, the projects are expected to increase railway capacity and support an additional 74 million tonnes of freight movement every year. Key commodities likely to benefit include coal, cement, iron and steel, petroleum products, fertilisers, automobiles and foodgrains.

The expanded network is also expected to improve connectivity for around 6,911 villages, covering a combined population of nearly 11 million people. Several of the routes pass through or connect important industrial, mining, tourism and religious centres. The projects are being developed under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which focuses on coordinated infrastructure development and improving multimodal connectivity. By adding capacity to busy routes, the government expects smoother train operations and more efficient logistics.

The latest approval comes as Indian Railways continues to expand capacity on heavily used corridors. With additional tracks, passenger and freight trains can potentially operate with fewer conflicts on congested sections, improving the reliability of rail transportation. The ₹20,804-crore investment therefore represents a significant expansion of railway capacity, with the projects expected to strengthen connectivity and support economic activity across nine states once completed.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from TOI.