Cabinet Greenlights Six Multi-Tracking Projects Worth ₹12,000 Crore

In the wake of the interim budget's announcement of 434 railway track expansion projects, the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its nod to six multi-tracking projects proposed by the Ministry of Railways, totaling an estimated cost of ₹12,343 crore.

A press release from the Cabinet stated, "The multi-tracking proposals will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways."

According to government sources, these projects will augment the existing Indian Railways network by 1,020 kilometers and generate employment opportunities for approximately thirty million man-days.

Evaluated under the Prime Minister Gati-Shakti National Master Plan framework, the projects are slated to span across 18 districts in Rajasthan, Assam, Telangana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Nagaland.

The identified routes are crucial for the transportation of various commodities, including food grains, fertilizers, coal, cement, iron, steel, fly-ash, clinker, limestone, petroleum, oil, lubricants (POL), and containers. Upon completion, these projects are expected to add 87 million tonnes (mt) of cargo to the national transporter's freight basket.

Railway authorities estimate that this additional cargo could potentially translate into annual revenue ranging from ₹8,500 to ₹9,000 crore.

BS