Rail Connectivity Boost: ₹4,474-Crore Multitracking Projects Greenlit in East India.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) recently approved two major railway multitracking projects in West Bengal and Jharkhand, with an estimated cost of ₹4,474 crore.

The projects involve constructing a fourth railway line on the Sainthia–Pakur and Santragachi–Kharagpur sections. Scheduled for completion by 2030–31, the works will add approximately 192 km to Indian Railways’ existing network.

The additional lines are expected to increase capacity on existing routes, ease congestion, and improve operational efficiency and service reliability. The projects will cover five districts across West Bengal and Jharkhand, strengthening regional rail connectivity and potentially benefiting around 5,652 villages with a combined population of about 14.7 million.

The routes are vital for transporting commodities such as coal, stone, dolomite, cement, slag, gypsum, iron and steel, foodgrains, and petroleum products. The capacity expansion is expected to enable an additional 31 million tonnes of freight traffic annually.

Planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the projects aim to improve multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency. The government said the increased rail freight could reduce logistics costs and fuel consumption, potentially cutting oil imports by 60 million litres and lowering carbon dioxide emissions by 280 million kilograms.

These projects represent a significant step toward modernizing India’s railway network while supporting sustainable and efficient transport solutions.