Centre Finalizes Key Rail Line Projects Connecting Ports in Southern States.

The Centre’s Network Planning Group (NPG) met reeently to assess several key railway infrastructure projects, including the 185 km Ballari-Chikjajur Doubling project. This initiative aims to enhance connectivity between Ballari, Chitradurga, and Anantapur districts, improving the transport of iron ore, coal, cement, and food grains.

An official statement revealed that the project’s fourth line is expected to support industrial hubs such as Jindal Steel, which plans to expand its production capacity to 24 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), while addressing freight demands linked to southern ports. The project will help alleviate line saturation, improve freight movement efficiency, and expand rail capacity, while promoting socio-economic growth in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, it is expected to generate employment, reduce transportation costs for industries, and strengthen integration within India’s multimodal logistics network.

The NPG also evaluated the 147 km Hosur-Omalur rail line doubling project, aimed at connecting the agro-industrial region of Hosur to the commercial hub of Salem in Tamil Nadu. The project will benefit critical sectors like cement manufacturing, agro-processing, and automobile logistics, while linking to Bangalore’s electronics and IT corridor. By enhancing multimodal connectivity, it will strengthen ties with industrial hubs such as the Salem Steel Plant and TNPL, as well as provide stronger connections to airports in Bangalore and Salem.

Another key project under review was the 173.18 km Secunderabad-Wadi Quadrupling project, which seeks to add third and fourth lines between Secunderabad and Wadi, a crucial freight and passenger corridor in South Central India. The project is expected to ease congestion, enhance reliability, and support freight growth for industries in Telangana and Karnataka, especially those in cement, steel, and food grains. With current utilization exceeding 114%, the project will reduce transit delays, accommodate future traffic demands, and contribute to regional economic growth.

All three projects align with the principles of PM GatiShakti, aiming to improve multimodal connectivity, foster industrial growth, and enhance socio-economic development across southern India.

ET